Humble Beginnings
by Rowan Mad
Summary: A war is about to break out between vampires and werewolves. Draculaura is caught up between obeying her family, and saving her friends from death. Prequel to New Blood. AU
1. Secrets

**I did math to figure out when this would be appropriate to happen. The war begins in early 18th century and lasts five years. Gosh, I really dislike the fashion in 18th century. I prefer the 19th century fashion and 16th century better. However, Harriet and Clawrk are both in this. They are 19 years old. **

**I must explain a few things before you start reading this story.**

**This is a prequel! Which means you have to read New Blood before you understand why I'm writing this.**

**Werewolves age naturally until they are twenty years old!**

**Draculaura is 1300 years old.**

**Werewolves are still slaves under the vampire rein.**

**Obviously NONE of the Monster teens are born yet, and mostly all the adults are also not born.**

**Valentine and Draculaura are not dating yet in this story. **

**The brides have not all started to venomously hate Draculaura yet.**

* * *

I grunted as Verona tightened the corset that was nearly suffocating me. I gripped the edge of a table as she finished tying the laces tight. She stepped away and sighed. I turned around and placed my hand on my stomach, I muttered to myself as Verona and Marishka tied panniers around my waist to give my skirt lift at the sides. They tugged two petticoats over my head and positioned them. They pinned a stomacher onto the front of my corset and then pinned the gown onto that. I was then shoved down into a seat as they begun to pin my hair up and styled my makeup.

"You are not to speak at this," Aleera hissed pinching my cheeks roughly. I growled at her. She rose her hand to slap me but stopped and growled back. "You are lucky, brat, that your father is so fond of you."

"You are lucky that I haven't spoken to him about all the deeds you do with other men," I hissed back, causing her to slap me across the face.

"Aleera! Sister!" Verona hissed, "Are you insane? You'll get tortured for that!"

"I won't tell," I muttered rubbing my cheek, "I never do."

"That's a good princess," Marishka patted my shoulder softly. Verona handed me a van to match my dress before helping me up. I stared at myself in the mirror and sighed. The dress was beautiful. A dark red with intricate designs of black over the stomacher and the gown had woven flowers etched into the fabric. I turned my gaze towards my father's brides and curtseyed.

"Thank you all for helping me get ready," I said graciously before heading towards the door. The brides were not invited to the meeting, only the direct decedents of my grandfather, and the council was invited. I walked down the hallway, knowing that the meeting was not well for another half an hour, but needed to stop somewhere first. I fanned myself as I walked; even if it was pitch black outside, it was still midsummer. That meant the night was not too cool, and this outfit was not all too comforting.

I stood, admiring a painting as I waited for the coast to be clear before pulling part of the frame to the side and rotated it. There was a click and the painting popped forwards slightly; I slid it to the side, revealing a set of steps. I hurried behind the painting and slid it back into place. There was a click as the painting locked. I hurried down the steps, relying on my night vision to see the steps. This passage was continuously used by me and my friends, so there was no dust clinging to the steps. Since my friends knew, I would be in trouble if I had dust on my skirt. My father would know I was sneaking away to see them.

I reached the bottom and knocked three times on the wall before it slid to the side. I stepped through the door and saw the familiar faces. Clawrk, Harriet and Rachel. Clawrk smiled and sat up in his bed. Rachel bounced on her bed grinning at me. "Miss!" she whispered, staying where she was. Knowing not to touch me before going into council. My father would be able to smell the scent of human immediately, which was not allowed.

"You shouldn't be here," Harriet scolded peering at the door, "You need to go to council."

"I know, but I may not see you guys for a while after this. My father said something big is about to be decided, and if it is accepted, he said that the brides and I will be sent to ground for a long time," I whispered back, "I think it's something bad, but I cannot have a say yet, I am not high enough in the hierarchy to decide anything," I muttered looking at them.

"That is not fair!" Rachel cried, jumping off her bed, "Miss, by the time you come back out, I may be old or dead!"

"I'm sorry, Rachel, it isn't for me to decide. I cannot go against this. If I do, I do not know what will happen to me. You people will be safe as long as you are under my father's roof. You'll live out relatively happy lives here," I said leaning down and kissing her head.

"I wish I could hug you," Rachel whimpered sinking to the floor. Harriet bent down and stroked her hair. "Stupid rules."

"I only don't allow you to hug me before council because you are the only human here, my father would know that I snuck down here to see you before council, and he would hurt you," I replied softly, "I would give you a hug otherwise."

"I don't like the sound of this council," Clawrk interrupted sitting up and staring at us, "I mean if the big king of vamps wants to shove you under the ground where no one will find you, don't ya'think that they are planning something big?"

"I know they are," I replied looking back at him, "I wish they weren't. It's going to be bad, I know that."

"What if they are planning another war?" Harriet whispered standing up after ushering Rachel back towards her bed. "The last one was apparently bad enough. That is how werewolves were forced into slavery or killed," she said, bitter toned.

"Harriet," Clawrk snapped quickly, Harriet apologized quickly to me.

"I was a child then," I murmured, "I was put into the ground. I had no say in whether any species was put into slavery."

"Which is why it's not your fault that werewolves are in slavery, you are different than the other vampires. They look down at us and treat us like filth, while you are kind and try to treat us as kindly as possible," Clawrk said standing up and crossing his arms. "If you have time before you go into the ground, come tell us what is happening. I'd like to know why one of my best friends is being forced to go into hiding."

"I promise, Clawrk," I said with a smile, "I will make as many stalls as possible before my father becomes suspicious. If I cannot make it back, I will leave a detailed note hidden in my room. Harriet, you clean my room, you will be able to find it. I know it."

"Alright," Harriet said before bowing, "You have to get going, princess," she quirked a smile before glancing over at Clawrk as he bowed as well.

"One day I won't have to bow to you," Clawrk said, "We'll be equals."

"I hope there is a day when we are," I whispered and turned, disappearing back into the wall. I ran up the stairs and through the painting. With a quick look outside, I headed towards the council room. I saw my father standing outside alongside my grandfather. They were welcoming the council members and I quickly stood beside them. Curtseying towards them before my grandfather headed into the room.

"Where have you been?" my father asked as we headed in. Following in behind my grandfather.

"I got distracted, there are some wilted flowers on the third floor," I said and he groaned.

"That isn't my job, tell a servant," he muttered as he moved and sat down to the right of my grandfather. I sat to the left and fanned myself. Hiding my mouth from view. I noticed the lack of servants in the room and swallowed thickly as the heavy wooden doors shut us off from the rest of the castle.


	2. Council

I sat silently as my grandfather waited until the room quieted down. He stood up, cloaked in fine, expensive clothes. He cleared his throat loudly before walking down from his throne and standing in the center of the circle of stone table. "Lords and Lady," he spoke, turning slowly, "At our last council, we decided a splendid choice that caused our empire to spread into America," his voice rang throughout the stone room. Everyone smiled and tipped their heads.

"Today's subject, is one the subject of war, however," he brandished his sword and pointed it at a tapestry on the west wall, "against the beasts from the west." I froze. Staring at the tapestry. This was a meeting about a war against werewolves? My hands gripped my throne as I stared at my grandfather. He could not be serious. "We have them under our foot already, but who knows how long they will stay there? How long will they stay our enslaved pets?" Some nods around the table made my stomach sink. "We'll have to be cautious; we'll have to be cunning! The beasts cannot know it is coming! This is why I have called you all here.

"Instead of immediately declaring war, we must eliminate them discretely. The other species are already at our throats with us enslaving the mongrels, just imagine what they'll think if they figure out what we are planning on doing!" he sheathed his sword and looked around the room, pausing for dramatic effect. "We have to start by eliminating the enslaved," he turned to face the north wall where our thrones sat against. "That way, we can say a plague took them, the plague will move along the country side, effect only the werewolves. What that plague will really be, however, is trained vampires."

"What if the other species suspects us?" a man asked leaning forwards, "They would no sooner believe a plague is killing out the entire werewolf population, than I believe that werewolves are our equals."

"Alexandre," my grandfather said turning to face him, "That is exactly why I have called you all here! To discuss how to make this plan believable! I am a humble king, after all, I could never make a plan as devious as I could without my seven council members," he turned to grace everyone with a smile. He walked back to his throne and sat down. "Although, before we even begin the plan, we should put this to a vote. Should we wipe out the beasts? Alternatively, allow them to grow? Yay or nay?"

Six yay's chorused the room; the female council member looked up at my grandfather and stood up. "I know that this council will do whatever, regardless of my vote, considering it is eight to one, but I say nay! This plan is too risky. I do not want my people to be at risk for another war. I despise werewolves just as much as you all, ever since the first war! Though I love the people in my land, and do not wish for them to be in any danger of being attacked if this plan turns sour!"

"Sif," my grandfather stared at her, "Your opinion is valid in this discussion. If you do not wish to involve yourself with this, leave now and we will not hold it against you. If it is for the good of your people."

"It is for the good of my people," she said firmly, "I will allow three vampire assassins into my land to kill werewolves, but there shall be no ties to me on them."

"You have my word," my grandfather said before waving his arm to the door, "You may leave before discussion goes any further."

Sif bowed before turning and heading out the door. I stood there, staring at the dark haired woman as she left the room. I wish I could make my voice heard like hers, but I couldn't. My father could make his voice heard, but he had no qualms against this plan, and I knew it. Everyone knew the plan would continue on, and no one wanted to stop it. Besides myself. Even Sif wanted it to happen, I knew she did. I also knew she didn't want to involve herself, because she was clever. If the werewolves figured out the plan, and figured out that she had no part of it. She would be spared, and so would her people. The other species wouldn't attack her either. The other powers would fall, and she would be left standing. I realized her move and kept it to myself. She was wise; she would make a proud ruler if everything turned to ashes.

My grandfather sighed and began to plot out with the other men. They stuck with the original plan, going as far as almost agreeing to execute the plan within the month. However, someone piped up. Someone who hadn't made their voice heard the entire time. My father.

"I know this may be a very absurd suggestion, but why do we need to get ourselves directly involved? Get someone else to do our dirty work," he said looking at my grandfather. I inhaled and held it, wondering how my grandfather would take this.

"Who would do this? The other species wouldn't dare put themselves against the werewolves, even I admit they can be tough in big numbers," he said taking a deep drink of blood from his goblet.

"The Hunters?" my father said, everyone started whispering in hushed tones until my grandfather placed his goblet down.

"That would be too dangerous, what if they turn against us and reveal to the werewolves that we are plotting against them? They would pay to have our two species in a to-the-death battle," my grandfather shot down the idea immediately. Standing up and walking to the center of the table. My father stood up and stepped onto the table, which caused flurried whispers to start up again. That was something that wasn't done. "What do you think you are doing?" my grandfather said, "Sit down! You are a mere boy!"

"A mere boy that you allowed into this council, a mere boy who will take the crown someday, a mere boy who has won many battles for you," my father countered, "My opinion should matter just as much as the council members."

"You are arrogant and conceded!" my grandfather shot back, "I will revoke your right to the crown and give it to Vlad if so be it!"

"I think not," my father whispered and brandished his sword, "I challenge you."

"Step down boy," my grandfather hissed, "I am more powerful than you! I do not wish to kill my heir!"

"Fight me!" my father shouted, "Prove to everyone that you are a just king! Instead of a coward hiding behind his council men!"

My grandfather hissed and took out his sword, "You are a fool!"

I was frozen to my seat as my father launched himself at my grandfather. A pain filled my chest and I rose halfway from my seat, opening my mouth to call out to my father. I wanted to scream at him to sit down. I wanted to tell him to stop filling himself with ego and risking his life. Though I knew, I would be in mortal danger if I interfered. My father challenged my grandfather, and he accepted. This meant one had to die. Whatever one did survive would be King. No matter what. It was official. I felt tears bubbling in my eyes and I sunk back into my chair.

I closed my eyes and prayed for the fight to be over. There was an odd noise and then the fump as a body hit the stone. Two clangs of metal hit the stone and my eyes opened. My grandfather lay, beheaded on the stone. Blood pooled around a crown that my father lifted and placed on his head. The council members looked to him and all bowed. I stood up and followed suit, feeling tears fall down my cheeks.

He walked over and sat in the center throne and stared at the others. "We will get the Hunters to fight for us. We won't be directly involved, and we can easily get rid of them if they decide to betray us. We can put up a mask to the other species to seem as if our ways are changing, so if the Hunters end up do spilling, the other species will not believe them. We all are in charge of killing the enslaved beasts in our own castle. The Hunters will deal with the rest. Then we'll officially be the most powerful species."

"What if they suspect us? What if the other species realizes that we are killing off werewolves?" a council member asked.

My father looked down at my grandfather's body, "Then we plant my father's body and blame the werewolves on killing them. This means the werewolves declared war against us, and we retaliated."


	3. Plans

Soon the council was let out. I walked as calmly out of the room after my father as I could. Fear was pumping through my veins with each step I took. Once the last of the council members left the castle to their carriages, my father turned to me. He reached towards me, but I unconsciously stepped away.

"Draculaura-"

"You should go tell grandmother," I said as calmly as I could, "She deserves to know that grandfather has been relieved of his kingship."

"He would've killed Sif if I had not done anything," my father said lowering his hand, "Sif is a vital member, she is strong and is a valuable ally in all this. Your grandfather would've led to our destruction if I hadn't intervened, which meant you, and the rest of the family would've been slaughtered."

"You still need to tell grandmother, I'll retire to my room," I said, turning on my heel and heading away from him. It was silent until his footsteps lead away. I continued to walk normally until I got back to my room. The brides quickly helped me undress and into something more suitable for casual, then left. I sat on the chair they had forced me into and stared at myself in the mirror. My hair had been let down from its pins and was now curly and wavy. Hanging hazardously around my head.

I stood up, feeling tears bubbling in my eyes and walked into the corridor. I knew the next time Clawrk, or Harriet, would be let out of their chambers was tomorrow morning. Which I gathered would be too late for me to tell them. I had to go and see them immediately. My father would have gone to tell the rest of the family about his rise to king. That would take quite some time, mourning and celebration, all rolled into one. My father wouldn't invite me, since I did not enjoy their types of celebration, nor mourning. Drinking blood and lounging about in a dark room for hours on end.

I nearly ran to the painting and slipped down the corridor. Nearly stumbling and falling down the flight of stairs if I hadn't caught myself on an old rusted candleholder. I stopped to catch my breath and attempt to calm down before pressing on. I reached the bottom and softly knocked on the door. I waited on baited breath before it opened. Clawrk frowned and I wrapped my arms around him and sobbed. Harriet flung from her bed and raced over; she touched my hair and rubbed my back, hushing me. I felt Clawrk awkwardly pat my back and murmur that it was okay. I noticed Rachel hadn't made her presence known yet, and I couldn't smell her or hear her heart beat. I pulled away and looked around.

"Its okay, Rachel is just doing her chores, she has to help prepare breakfast for the other slaves," Harriet hushed and helped me over to one of the old beds. She sat me down before settling down beside me and wrapping her arms around me. "What happened?"

At first, my rushed explanation was too jumbled and the tears and sobs cut off the sound and made it impossible for even me to understand what I was saying. Clawrk placed his hand over my mouth before kneeling down in front of me and raising his eyebrow. "Slowly now, start at the beginning, take your time. We've got a long time before anyone checks on us."

I started again, through shuddered breaths. Explaining the lack of servants, the elimination of werewolves, Sif not joining in on the hunt, my father killing my grandfather. When I finally finished it was silent. I stared at my hands, seeing the fabulous rings and feeling disgusted with them. The money that fashioned those rings was dirty money. I hadn't fully realized that the majority of gold we had was built up from the last war.

Clawrk stood up and paced the room. I could feel the fury radiating off him, the protector shining through, and the alpha. I could feel the terror and anger from Harriet and knew they were silent because they were speechless. I felt as if I had betrayed them. Saying they would be safe under my father's control, when he wanted all werewolves dead. Even if he wanted to stop this, it was too late. They other council members would execute it, and my father would be blamed. There would be bloodshed no matter what.

"We have to warn the others," Clawrk growled sitting down on his bed and running his hands roughly through his hair.

"Draculaura would be exposed," Harriet hissed, "If the vampires caught word that she told us, she would be slaughtered."

"All of us will be," Clawrk said looking at us, "I'm sorry, Draculaura, you are one of my greatest friends, but I have to protect my pack."

"Think this through!" Harriet cried standing up, "Draculaura risked her life for us by telling us this, and we shouldn't back stab her by letting them kill her! We need to do something smart!"

"I know," I whispered, "I have a plan on how to get you out, and myself out safely."

"How?" Harriet asked, sitting down and grabbing my hands, "Anything will be better."

"Sif," I muttered looking up at them, "I know she doesn't like werewolves, but she's not going to involve herself in this massacre. She wants power, and she's smart," I said, "We need to somehow cause a distraction here, slip you guys out and as far away as possible. Possibly Greenland, that way your pack will be able to start a new life there, and spread the word to the werewolves."

"How does that save you?" Clawrk ask, "Your father will figure something is up when the werewolves suddenly disappear and the word hasn't gotten out yet that he is planning on killing us."

"He wouldn't dare accuse a sick daughter of telling the werewolves the plan," I said looking at him, "I've been eating pure fruits and vegetables to get vitamins and iron so I can live. If I stop eating the food given, and hide it, then I'll get sick. Fast. To the point I will almost be dead."

"You cannot risk your life for us," Harriet shook her head wrapping her arms around me.

"Stop," I said looking at her, "It's the least I can do to make sure you guys are safe. I'll create the diversion and then you'll be able to get out, and I'll be sick. This makes it impossible for me to have done it."

"What's the diversion?" Clawrk asked staring at the ground. I looked at him.

"A little mishap will happen in the weaponry, which will blow up a hole in the side of the castle during the day. Allowing you guys to escape without being killed by the silver traps that can only be deactivated by blood at the beginning of the entrance. By the time my father is awoken, you'll be gone and I'll be sick," I explained looking at them, "If the plan goes well. My father has given the plan a week before it must start. Enough time for the council men to all return home before they all slaughter their slaves together and send word out to their noblemen to do the same."

"I'll tell the others about the plan to escape, but not mention you; we cannot make any sort of bombs without the order of someone, so we'll need you to unlock the gun powder for us. This means, you need to be able to slip in here without anyone noticing you. If all goes wrong, then no one can pin you to this," Clawrk said holding his hand out towards me, "If this goes wrong, then a war will really start. In here, and then it'll spread out to the rest of the world."

"I hope it doesn't come to that, if it does go well, make sure everyone knows what the vampires are planning on doing. Therefore, that way a war will not happen. Though, if the werewolves attempt to attack a noble vampire, a war will start," I said placing my hand in his, "Let's pray that we do not see another war."


	4. Escape

I set the plan in motion. When I was brought food for breakfast, I would wait until the servant who brought me it left before hiding the fruits in a towel. Harriet would come by and take the fruit and dispose of it. Each day I was beginning to feel weaker and weaker. I knew I would have to put the plan in motion immediately, or else I would be too weak to do it properly. I waited until the day, when all werewolves and vampires were sleeping. Except a select few who tended to me during the day. I distracted them by telling them about how the flowers in the farthest corners of the castle need refreshing and there were cobwebs everywhere in some guest rooms. That was accomplished by Harriet convincing the other cleaning woman to skip over the rooms, since they weren't going to be used for a while. The council members weren't staying, and therefore there was no real reason for the rooms to be cleaned.

I had written an explanation of where to go once they were out, as well as wrote up a document allowing them to travel to Greenland, not signing it with my name, of course. I signed it with Siv's name, knowing her writing as much as my own. They would be safe there. I also made a note to them, a personal one. I folded the parchment and put a glob of wax on before sealing it. I moved into motion then.

I pulled on a pair of trousers instead of a skirt, I needed movement rather than to be decent. I moved quickly, I snuck to the hallway of silver and pulled out a vial of my grandfather's blood. I had gotten Clawrk to snag some when he was moving the body. It was an easy task, considering the other vampires and werewolves knew he was handling a very bloody body. I opened the vial and poured the contents into the chalice. The moment of truth. I hugged the wall as I crept along the hallway. I stepped past where the first trap was and let out a soft sigh of relief. The trick worked. The hallway believed that my grandfather was still alive, and that I was him.

I walked along the passage and stepped into the slave's quarters. It was a huge room with different hallways. One was connecting the area where the werewolves slept to the main room, another was bathrooms and a kitchen for themselves, and the last was to the workstations. I crept along the passage way and into the blacksmiths room. It was dark, except for a smoldering fire in the fire pit. I crept over to the armoury and slipped in. I quickly grabbed a barrel of gunpowder and half-dragged, half-carried, the barrel out of the room. I popped the cork off the barrel.

"What are you doing?" a voice asked, I jumped and turned to see a man standing at the door. He was a werewolf, I could tell. He wore a tank top and a pair of pants, covered in soot and grim. He walked over and placed his hands on the gunpowder. "This isn't a toy, miss, you could get hurt," he had an Irish accent. I swallowed thickly and took a step back, the plan was ruined.

"Stay back," I warned placing my hand on a hammer. He chuckled and held his hands up.

"Whatever you are up to, I'll help," he said, "Not too often you see a very royal vampire in this parts, and in trousers," he said pointing to my pants. My face went red and I straightened up.

"Whatever I wear is none of your concern!" I tightened my grip on the hammer. His hands went back up and he shook his head with a grin.

"No disrespect, ma'am," he grinned, "The names Myles. What are you doing?"

"I can't tell you, please go back to your room," I demanded lifting the hammer and glaring at him.

"I'll just tell the others you were down here then," Myles said turning away. I growled and placed the hammer down.

"Fine, but you cannot breathe a word to anyone that you helped me. Understood?" I asked stepping towards the barrel of gunpowder and holding my hand out.

"Deal," he said shaking my hand. I explained what I was trying to do, but not why. Why he tried to press me for answers, I didn't give him any. He eventually gave in and continued to help me prepare a bomb. Doing most of the work himself. We worked quietly, but with the quiet, it was hard for us to make a proper shaped bomb. Instead, we made do with what we had, and he formed a metal covering out of shields, and then poured the gunpowder in. I nearly fainted through the process, weak without blood. He assumed it was because I was out during the day and it was warm in the shop, so he made me sit down in a dark corner.

When he finished he brought me over to inspect it. "Will it explode enough to break a hole out of the brick?" I asked him, as I ran my hand of the metal.

"It should, it's the biggest bomb I've ever seen," he whistled and smiled, "I did a very nice job on this, hate to see it explode."

"Well, it has too, or the elders will be wondering why you have a bomb in your work shop," I said looking at him, "It'll probably take out this entire section, so be careful, make sure no one is around when you ignite it," I muttered helping him roll it to where I knew there was a easy escape route. He stopped and wiped his head and grinned at me.

"For a royal filly, you are pretty great," he said and kissed my hand. I stared at him before shaking my head.

"I have to go now," I said, and turned but I stopped and looked at him. "Do you know Clawrk?"

"Yeah, he's my buddy, why?" he asked crossing his arms. I passed him the papers, and nodded.

"Give these to him and say thank you for me," I turned and headed back down the hall. I stumbled a few times, feeling weakened and I knew I would go into a blood thirst rage if I didn't isolate myself from the stench of blood. It was everywhere, I could smell Myles blood, and I could smell all the werewolves' blood. I could smell the blood from the poor souls who got caught by the trap. I moved quickly, but tripped and fell to my knees at the exit. My vision swam and I knew this plan was going to ruin. I couldn't save my friends.

I felt arms around me, hoisting me up and then I was carried. I knew I had been found by vampires, I was being taken to be executed. Instead, I felt the cloth of my bed underneath me and then the taste of metal filled my mouth. It wasn't for a few seconds until I realized my body was tasting the iron in this person's blood. I drank until my brain kicked in and I ripped away from the arm and looked at the donor. Myles and Clawrk stared down at me with concern.

"We can't go through with the plan, Draculaura, you have to come with us," Clawrk said placing the envelope on my lap, "If your father-"

"If my father figures out I helped you, we are all as good as dead," I said sitting up and wiping the blood from my mouth. "You have to go now, before our plan is ruined-"

"You are on the verge of actually dying," Myles interrupted, "I'm not sure what the full extent of this plan is, but whatever it is, it can wait-"

"The werewolves will be slaughtered," I said looking at my hands, "If you guys don't get out now, you'll all be dead."

Myles stared at me and then up at Clawrk he stood up and growled. "Why didn't you tell us, Clawrk? You shouldn't keep these things from us, we are your pack!"

"Now is not the time, Myles," Clawrk muttered, "We have to figure out a plan to escape and warn the others to prevent a war."

"We need to continue with the plan then, Draculaura will come with us-"

"I cannot! Not now! I am a vampire. I'll be cast away from what I know, and I cannot do that now. I love Clawrk, and Harriet, and Rachel, but I will be hunted for the rest of my life. I would be forever in turmoil knowing that I am hunted by my own family. I just can't..." my voice cracked and I clenched my fists. Myles placed his hand on mine. "You guys have to go and do this."

"We'll come back for you," Myles said, "One day, when werewolves and vampire aren't at each other's throats."

I nodded and gave a half-smile. "Go now!" I said pointing to the door, "There is only a few more hours until night break, and then it'll be too late!"

Clawrk kissed my cheek and shoved Myles towards the door. The two of them left, I stared at the door as it shut. Then clenched my fists and held back a sob. I looked down at my lap and saw the parchment in my lap and my eyes widened. They would get nowhere without that. I moved to stand up but still felt weak. I pulled on a few layers of skirt before hiding the envelope in the waistband before heading out. I needed to give them those papers or they would have no chance once outside the walls.

The explosion caused the entire castle to shake and I lost balance. That was a bigger blast than I anticipated. I hurried towards where the werewolves were held, but instead of seeing an empty hall. I saw vampires hauling out werewolves. My eyes widened and my eyes locked onto my father. He turned and waved me over. I walked over, staring at the ground.

"One of our men overheard one of the females talking to a male about escaping today, we got here just as these two tried to sneak back in," my father said, stepping to the side and letting me see Myles and Clawrk bound and on their knees. Neither of them looked up and I did my best to keep a straight face.

"What are you going to do?" I asked looking at my father; I hoped my voice stayed strong. However, I knew he wouldn't question me if it wasn't. I was clearly shook up about the explosion.

"Lashings, a hundred, with the metal tipped whip," he said staring at my friends, "Or until they say which vampire tried to aid their escape," he said, "They wouldn't have been able to sneak out of their cages if there wasn't outside help." I swallowed thickly and my father rubbed my back. "Don't worry; the traitor will soon be brought to justice." That was what I was worried about.


	5. Lashings

At midnight, the lashings began. They were tied to a post and were forced onto their knees. My father placed his hand on my shoulder as a vampire stepped out with a whip. I saw silver tipped edges and forced my face to remain straight. I couldn't give the slightest emotion slip, or everything would be ruined. I watched as the man stopped behind the two werewolves and started the lashings.

With each crack, my muscles were at full capacity attempting not to flinch or tighten up. Lest my father thought I had any feelings for them. My eyes remained locked onto their backs were blood was dripping down. Knowing I had caused this. If only I had escaped sooner, they wouldn't have been giving the lashings. If only I had thought of a different plan to keep them safe. If only I was more like my father. Cunning and able to minipulate people into doing what I want. This wouldn't have happened.

Another crack and blood splattered on my dress. I swallowed quietly and refused to look down. Refused to acknowledge the blood at all. My father raised his hand and the lashing stopped. He stepped forwards and squatted down in front of Myles. He muttered something, and Myles just locked eyes with him. I saw in both of their eyes cold and dark intent. My father wanted him dead. Myles wanted my father dead.

"Who helped you," my father asked, possibly repeating what he said before. Myles just spit some blood onto the ground. "This will be a lot easier for you if you just tell me. Only twenty lashings."

"That was twenty-five," Myles retorted looking up at my father, a smirk spread across his lips. "If you are trying to give me more lashings, I know you don't have to trick me into thinking I've had less."

"Why you haven't cried out in pain yet? Or even grunted? You've been focusing on something else. Not the searing sensation of silver hitting your back over, and over again?" my father asked him, eyebrows coming together. "Maybe you'd like to share that with me?"

"I'm thinking about how far my blood splattered," Myles said, glancing over at me, "Hitting your daughters dress. Pity. I bet it'd look good on my floor-"

My father smashed his fist into Myles eye before grabbing his face and glaring at it. "You are asking for another hundred lashings."

"Good. I'll have battle wounds," Myles grinned as his eye began to swell. My father stood up and walked back over to me. He motioned towards the vampire to resume the lashings. I watched as Myles grin wiped off his face and he looked over at Clawd. Just by seeing a look pass between them. A look of hope. I knew someone had escaped. I didn't say anything to my father. If someone had escaped, then they were acting up to force my father to pay attention to them. Allowing him to not to think about anything other than this.

At fifty lashings my father stopped the man and walked back over. Ignoring Myles and crouching by Clawrk. "I know you are the leader of the group of mongrels," my father said looking at him. "So I know you were escaping to protect them. From what? We may have forced you into slavery, but we have never mistreated you. We give you comfortable lodgings, food, and work."

"You have forced us into slavery," Clawrk grunted, "Forced a free speciesout of what they knew and loved."

"You need to be controlled, remember last time you were free?" my father asked, raising his eyebrow. "Your kind killed millions of humans, risking exposure!"

"Yet you sit on your throne, allowing all to kill humans for food. We were working on that when the war began! If the war hadn't distracted our ancestors, than we would've wound up loose ends!" Clawrk shot back, "You say you are a high and mighty powerful king! All you are is a corrupt and evil war lord who killed his own father!"

"Who told you I killed him?" my father said, his eyebrow raising. I saw the hint of a smirk on his face, before the smirk fell. His eyes narrowed a bit and I saw them start too slid over to me.

"I could smell the blood on your blade," Clawrk said before my father's eyes met mine. "Myles manufactured your blade, I know the slices it makes. I know you killed him."

"I just figured out how you got the blood to get pass the traps. Now all I need is that one name, who helped you?" my father asked, "You can walk out of this now if you confess."

"I'd soon get a thousand lashing than betray the person to a vampire," Clawrk growled, my father frowned.

"So you are saying a werewolf helped you? Impossible, why the only werewolves out at the time were that little brunette female, and the redheaded girl," my father said smiling. Clawrk's face fell, and my frowned. I knew he was talking about Harriet. I wasn't sure about the redhead, but I knew for sure that Harriet was the brown-haired woman. "Ah, so it is one of them? Or maybe you have feelings for one of them! Find them!"

My father walked over to me and motioned for the vampire to continue the lashings again as another one ran off to find Harriet and the redhead. I leaned over to my father. "What will you have done to the one you suspect?"

"Lashings before killed," my father said as if he was telling a servant he wanted the carriage ready. Something that was a routine thing.

"I believe the brunette is my servant," I said, "It would be a waste to see her go," I said wistfully, sighing, "I could always get another to do it though. However, I'm quite certain most of the other females are for cooking and cleaning only. I'd have to get a male one."

"If the brunette is guilty, then I won't kill her. Just give her extra lashings and teach her a lesson not to cross me again," he said quickly, with a look down at me. "You will not have a male as a servant if I can help it."

I agreed with him before falling silent. Controlling a smirk that would`ve threatened to spread over my face if I hadn't controlled it. I just made my stubborn dad change his mind as easily as it is to snap a twig in two. I stared at the two being lashed and felt a pain in my chest again. Then Harriet and a redheaded girl were forced into the yard and in front of where Clawrk and Myles were. Harriet immediately cried out, seeing the blood on Clawrk's back. My father walked over to Harriet and patted her on the shoulder. She shrugged away from him, but stayed where she was. With a quick motion the lashings stopped.

"You can see him, if you wish," my father whispered, Harriet rushed over to Clawrk and touched his face and then touched Myles back. She whispered soothing words and my eyes widened as my father motioned again. A man walked over and caught her arms. She fought as he tied her up before kicking her to the ground. I quickly controlled my emotions as her shirt was split down the back and tied up like the others. "That's the thing with you werewolves," he chuckled waving away the redhead, "When you have strong emotional ties, you will do whatever the other."

"Oh, so vampires don't have that?" Myles asked smirking through the pain that was evident in his eyes. "Then wouldn't someone like your daughter go against your wishes? Like becoming a vegetarian."

"Are you suggesting my daughter would stoop down to your level?" my father asked quietly, "I suspected her of having...sympathetic emotions towards you beasts...for whatever reason. Though I doubt she'd go as far as betray my trust. I know how to torture her, so think carefully about what you say, or I will do it."

"What if she was a part of this?" Myles asked, fear bubbled in my stomach. I laughed. Causing everyone to look at me.

"I may not want to see you killed, but why would I want you lot to leave?" I asked, keeping my face trained. I walked over to my father, "You are insane if you would even think of suggesting that I would help you. There is no benefit in helping you, and after all, I am a vampire by blood. I am my father's daughter. I would never step out of my way to help...werewolves."

Myles glared at me and spat at me. I stared at him. "I was going to attempt to lessen your lashings because I felt bad for you. After all no werewolves escaped, that's been made sure of, so why should you suffer through so many lashings when nothing but an attempt? After that disrespect, however? I'm thinking another hundred lashings, for him," I said looking at my father. He nodded and motioned for the vampire to continue, adding Harriet into the mix. The moment my father looked away my face crumpled and I mouthed an apology. I turned and walked with my father away.

He left the courtyard, no longer wanting to get anything out of them. He stopped the moment we entered the castle though and turned to me. "If you did have anything to do with this, I will be heartbroken. I will have to banish you from this castle and make it law for other vampires to burn you with silver whenever they see you. You won't be show kindness by any vampire in the world."

"I have nothing to fear then," I said looking up at him, "I wouldn't conspire against you."

"You would, and that's what I'm afraid of," he said reaching over and touching my cheek, "You have your mother in you."

"If I wanted power, Father, I would've stepped forwards after you killed Grandfather and killed you. If I wanted to conspire against you, you would be dead. I am awake while you sleep. I could easily murder you in your sleep and become Queen. Have I? No. I do not want to be in power, so why would I do something that would put me in a place of authority?" I questioned walking away from him. Then I looked back at him. "You are my father, I do love you. I have emotions. I am not an old vampire who just wants power and is controlled by greed."

My father stared at me before looking away. I continued to walk, drowning out the sounds of the lashings outside.


	6. Realization

I chewed on my lip as I paced back and forth in my bedroom. What was Myles thinking? Because of that little stunt, I was almost caught. That would be the end of all of this. All of the planning! Everything ruined, just because Myles almost blew my cover. I paused. I was thinking selfishly. Even if I was killed or tortured because of it, a werewolf had escaped. They were all informed off the plan, which meant the word would be spread. My father won't be focusing on who told, but on saving his hide. I placed my hand on my stomach, feeling winded. Then I remembered the blood on my dress. I pulled the letter out from under the folds of my dress and hid it.

I called the wives to help me get a different skirt on, and they did so. Marishka hung back as the other two wives left the room. She shut the door behind them before turning to me. "I happened to overhear what happened in the courtyard today."

"So, I suppose you want to say that you think I for some reason did tell the beasts?" I asked glancing at her before sitting down on one of the chairs. She walked over to me and touched my shoulder.

"Of course not, even Aleera thinks you are innocent. I was more talking about your father being convinced by the beast!" she said shaking her head, "Dracula has never been one to be easily persuaded. That is why I fear for your safety!"

"Since when do you or any one of my father's wives care for my safety. You want something out of this," I smoothed my skirt and pursed my lips. "However, I take after my father. I'm not easily persuaded to give into others wants."

"Unfortunately, I have taken a liking to you. Aleera and Verona have become so...boring after living with them for such a long time!" Marishka sat down across from me, smiling slightly. "If you were to be banished or killed, then I would have to continue living with those two. Who are extremely irritating after a night with your father. They brag about who got the most attention!"

"This is why you want to get on my good side, because I, unlike them, get the most attention from my father. I could persuade him into doing things for you," I clued in nodding, I shook my head. "Except, I could persuade him into getting new brides all together."

"Why would you do that?" Marishka asked her eyebrow raising, "I have been the kindest of all the wives to you! I'm even kinder than your mother!"

"That's not saying much, Aleera is kinder than my mother at her worst," I stood up, yawning. "You should probably leave. I'm bored with this conversation."

I turned around and she was standing right there. I hadn't heard her move. She leaned down, with a smirk. "I know you helped the beasts. You will persuade your father into paying more attention to me, and less attention to Aleera and Verona, or I will tell him."

"If you do tell him, I'll tell him the truth. I didn't do it. Who will he trust? Me, his blood daughter who has so far done no wrong? Or you, his wife who has been known to cause me distress and insult me constantly? You have no hold over me," I smiled clasping my hands together. "I could tell my father that you three go and sleep with human men when he goes to visit the other council members."

"You wouldn't dare!" Marishka gasped, bowing. "Please forgive me, princess, I will be going now."

She quickly shuffled out of the room and I let out a quiet exhale of relief. I turned and walked over to my bed. I need to think of a plan. How to get the werewolves out if the vampires already had them rebuilding the wall. Blocking off the exit with silver, enabling them from getting out that way. There was nothing coming to mind. I needed a clear head to think. This wasn't the best place to do so. All I could remember was the failed plan.

Then my mind remembered something. The bomb blew up the armoury and the blacksmith shop. For that all to be functional again, it would take months of rebuilding. Months after that for blacksmiths to re-make all the lost weapons. This meant, my father wasn't able to kill the werewolves easily. He'd have to call off the kills for the time being until he was able to quickly perform it. A grin spread over my lips. This was why I appreciated Myles help. If it weren't for him, the bomb wouldn't have been big enough for it to cause so much destruction.

I peered out my window down to where the vampire was still giving Myles lashes. Clawrk and Harriet were still hanging beside him, but no longer having the whip cracked against their back. I frowned, wondering if my father was going to leave them there during the day so their wounds would bleed out until they healed. Or would he allow them to go and at least get a chance to heal. I knew it would be the former. My father wasn't exactly sympathetic. He was strong willed and he didn't care about anyone else but himself.

Soon my father walked out to the courtyard and spoke to them once more. I couldn't hear anything, but he bent down. I knew he was speaking to them. He stood up and waved the vampire away. The two of them left the three werewolves hanging there. I watched as they weakly tugged at their bindings before giving up. My heart went out to them, and I knew that I wouldn't be able to go out there until noon. That way no vampires would be out of their coffins, and I would be able to go to them and talk to them without arising suspicion. All werewolves were being locked up in their rooms during the day, that way none of them could try another escape.

At noon I grabbed an umbrella and quickly raced down the hallways. I headed for the courtyard and popped the umbrella. Clawrk was murmuring to Harriet when I stepped out into the sunlight. Harriet glanced up at me, I saw tears dripping down her face and I quickly ran over to her. I dropped down and touched her face. "I'm so sorry, Harriet," I whispered kissing her forehead, "I was able to spare your life, but I knew I wouldn't be able to make him change his mind about the lashings."

"It's alright," Harriet breathed, "At least I'm not dead," she coughed and shook her head. "It hurts, Lala," she cried lowering her head. I hugged her head, avoiding her wounds as best as possible.

"I'm so sorry," I whispered again stroking her hair. "I shouldn't have gotten you guys involved," I said, "I should've tried to bust you out without your help."

"Then you would've been killed," Clawrk said, "That wouldn't help us at all."

"I might be, Marishka knows that I helped you. I don't know how, but she does. I'm going to have to be extra careful around her, or she might tell my father. Which will ruin everything," I muttered shaking my head. "Did someone escape?"

"Yeah," Clawrk said, "They got out before the vampires raced down to stop us, we told him to go find the other werewolves," he explained and coughed weakly.

"Shh," I smoothed his hair, "You need to save your energy," I murmured.

"How?" Myles asked, straining against his bounds, "We can't exactly sleep in this ungodly position."

"Resting isn't the only way to save your energy. The stiller you are, the less energy you will use," I explained standing up. I moved in front of Myles before bending down and kissing his cheek near his swollen eye. "Thank you for helping me with the bomb. If it wasn't for you, then the plan wouldn't have at least slightly worked out," his eyebrow raised. I briefly told him about how all the weapons were destroyed and how the workshops were also destroyed. He agreed that it would take a lot of time to make weapons for the vampires. Since they were so demanding about everything.

I apologized to them again, and again for getting them into this situation. Then I paused, and stared at them. My mind connected some dots. If my father had this little incident, then that means the council members would have to turn around and come back for more planning. That meant all the council members would be in the same place at the same time. If the other species were to rain hell down on my father and the council members, then it would be easiest for them to do it now. The planning of everything was going right.


	7. Alliances

A week passed before any progress was made at all. The council members were just starting to return, all of them not happy to be returning at such a short notice. I had to be welcoming for the time being, and I was being forced to stay up for significant amounts of night light hours. This was wearing me thin. I was ready to collapse in a heap by the end of long conversations and hosting. Half the time I was barely able to escape to talk to my friends. Rachel was concerned for me. She kept saying that she would let me feed off her if I needed to. However, I knew that I would drain her body if I tried. An adult human was hard enough not to drain completely.

I trudged towards my room when a vampire sped up to me and bowed deeply. "Pardon me, miss, but you received a letter from Lady Stenberg," he straightened and produced a sealed parchment from Sif. I thanked him with a curt nod and he bowed once more before walking hurriedly away. I tucked the letter underneath my arm before hurrying into my room. I shut the door tightly before heading over to my desk and breaking the wax seal. I unfolded it before sitting down at my desk and began to read the letter. Curious as to why she sent me a letter.

_Dear Laura Cosmina Dracula,_

_It has come to my knowledge what has happened at your castle in the past week. I have sent this letter for sympathetic sense to make sure you and your family is well. However, you must have begun to grow suspicious of this letter. You have always been smart, even if you never speak up during council meetings. You must have figured out already that this letter has an alternative motive to it, rather than just sympathy._

_You are correct._

_I have recently noticed my subjects stirring. Not the vampire ones. The werewolves. Now, I know your father would be extremely displeased to hear me calling the werewolves my subjects. However, I do have my fangs in almost every political involvement in my region. I have some control over what goes on, and therefore anyone who lives here I call my subject. Including the werewolves._

_After I noticed the werewolves stirring, and not in a pleasant way, I did some deducting. What could make them so riled up after a council about murdering them all? Someone let it slip that the council was planning to murder them. Of course, once the other nobles figure out that their werewolves are causing more trouble than usual. They will start pointing fingers. Most obvious will be me. This is why I am writing this letter._

_I propose an alliance. Beneficial to both sides of course. You have your father's trust, which I need. You need someone to keep your secret from the council so you can keep that trust. I can stir up some trouble easily in my region without anyone suspecting that I m the one who did it. My plan? It is quite simple really. All I need to do is order a hand full of my criminal vampires to eradicate the werewolves. Thus, the criminals will be slaughtered, but I can fake their identities and say they were important people. Successfully making it seem like those vampires were the cause of the stir. _

_Neither of us will be blamed, and the other nobles will not ever figure out who truly spread the word._

_Please respond immediately to this, using the hawk. Burn this letter after you read it._

_Yours Truly,_

_Sif Stenberg._

I stared at the letter before laying it flat on the table and staring at the inked words. She was more devious than my father was. That was why I was reluctant to agree to her terms. Though I tossed the letter into the fire and stared as they crumbled and turned black. If I did agree to her plan, that meant either of us could betray the other at any moment. If I did not, then she would turn around and let the information of my involvement slip through to the nobles. If it reached the nobles before my father, the result would be disastrous for me.

I grabbed my ink and quill before sitting down and staring at fresh parchment. My head ran over the pros and cons of agreeing to her terms. If I agreed, I did not know how long she would force me to keep my word. I finally pressed the tip of the quill to the parchment paper and set to work. I did not accept nor agree to her alliance. I questioned it. Asking her how long she wanted this alliance to go on for. If I did end up agreeing to it. How could I trust her, ect. I went on for an entire page, considering it and debating. Telling her why I was questioning her means and motives, as well as questioning to why she had not called werewolves; beasts, like all vampires did.

After that, I placed the quill aside and gently blew on the ink until it hardened and would not smudge. Then I carefully rolled it and tied a ribbon around the note. Before I completed it, I poured some wax onto the edge and carefully pressed my family's insignia into the wax. Careful not to bend the paper or crinkle it. After that, I stood up and accidently knocked the ink over. I saved the parchment and cursed before heading out. There was no way I was going to be able to save the desk from the staining ink.

It was still dark out, so vampires and werewolves were walking around the castle. Vampires were doing higher calling jobs. Like directing the werewolves and interacting with the nobles. The werewolves never spoke to the nobles. They mostly cleaned and did labour jobs. I walked out into the courtyard, past where werewolves were scrubbing the bricks from the dried blood. I headed up a tower and knocked on the door. It was opened by a vampire who held a hawk on her arm. Her cold red eyes looked me over before stepping aside and bowing. "To what do I owe the pleasure, Miss?"

"I need a letter sent out," I said passing her the rolled up parchment. "To Lady Stenberg."

"What does the message pertain?" she asked as she slipped the letter into a small container, then attached the container to the back of a hawk. "Your father wishes to know of all letters being sent out ever since the explosion, Miss."

"Lady Stenberg sent a letter to my family with her regards of the explosion. It was addressed to me since she knew the others would be too busy dealing with the entire council members as well as the explosion. My letter is a thank you for her kind thoughts and well wishes," I explained as she prepared the bird for its long flight. She nodded curtly before whistling two times before lifting her arm. The bird cawed loudly before spreading its wings and taking off.

"If she replies I will send the message to you immediately, Miss," the woman said bowing and opening the door for me.

"Thank you," I replied warmly and nodded my head. I turned and calmly walked down the staircase until I reached the bottom floor. I needed to find Clawrk or Myles. Harriet would still be asleep, considering she was my handmaid during the day. I hurried around, attempting to walk as calmly as I could around the other vampires. Not wanting to cause them any suspicion. I stopped what I was doing and shook my head. Then I walked over to a vampire and cleared my throat. He turned around and quickly bowed seeing me. "I spilt ink over my desk," I informed him, "I need a new one delivered immediately. I have some things I need to do."

The vampire bowed and nodded. "At once, Miss."

I walked back to my bedroom. Then quickly scribbled a note about Sif and addressed it to Clawrk. Then placed it under my quill and waited for the desk to arrive. After a few minutes, a vampire walked in and bowed. "Your desk is here, Miss," he said opening both doors to allow Clawrk and Myles to carry in a desk. I saw their still healing backs and nearly cringed. They placed it down.

"Move my things to the new desk, and then haul that old thing out of here," I instructed turning to look back at my bookcase. I waved over the vampire and he walked over. "If it isn't much trouble, do you think you can get someone to go shopping for some new books? I've read all of these so many times, they are getting dull."

"Right away," he bowed before turning around and waving for the two boys to follow him. Clawrk gave me a questioning look before he left. Myles did not seem too curious, however, so I assumed he did not notice the note. I quickly walked over to my desk and examined the contents. No note. So then Clawrk took it and he would be informed. Now to get some rest before anything goes wrong.


	8. Humble

I was entertaining one of the council members, Lord Devein. He was one of the more forgiving council members; he did not care too much that he was called back out to Romania. He liked Romania, and would move there if it were not for his council position. He was quite chatty, telling me about Ireland and his son. Who would be arriving the very same night, since he was planning to take over soon. I felt bad; Devein was one of the men who agreed to slaughter the werewolves. I could not ask him if that is what he truly believed or he did not want to die. He was such a nice man, that I seriously doubted he had dark intents.

We passed Clawrk and another werewolf fixing up a broken window that shattered during the explosion. Clawrk gave me a look, and I knew he would want to speak to me during the day. That meant another all nighter. I yawned and kept walking.

"Am I boring you?" Lord Devein asked, without a hostile tone, like most other vampires would do.

"No, my apologizes, I'm use to staying up during the day," I answered clasping my hands behind my back and bowing slightly.

"I'm sorry, Princess," he said, "I hadn't realized. May I ask why you sleeping during the night?" he inquired as we started down the stairs.

"I like the sun, well, I don't like directly on my skin, but it makes the world so much prettier," I replied softly, "Most people don't share the same love of the day, since they think night is much more beautiful, but they both have their qualities. I just like the day better."

"Curious thinker," he applauded, "Good thing you'll take over ask Queen someday. The council needs more people like you!"

I smiled and thanked him. We were walking to meet his son who was coming up to the castle gates. We stood at the top of the stairs as the carriage came to a stop. The driver hopped down and opened the door. A blonde haired tall man with red eyes and pale skin stepped out. He turned and held his hand out for a woman with long curly black hair; she had lighter red eyes than he did. The two of them started up the steps and Lord Devein started down to greet them. I followed shortly behind him to greet the two guests.

"Father," the blonde said bowing slightly before turning to me and bowing deeper, "Princess."

"Princess, this is my son. Bram," he said before turning to the woman. "I do not believe we have been acquainted?"

"There was an incident," Bram said, looking at his father with a bit of sheepishness. "There was a delay in Italy...and I met this woman who was being tried as a witch. They would have killed her, had I not saved her. Since she couldn't return to her life, I decided to change her."

"A noble deed," I said, stopping Lord Devein from speaking. He cleared his throat and then nodded. As if, he was scared to disagree with me. "What is your name?"

"Gloria," she replied curtseying, I smiled at her, and I could tell Bram appreciated it.

"It is a pleasure to meet you both. Please, call me Draculaura," I said with a smile, "I'll show you to your rooms," I replied stepping to the side to let them walk up the steps. I turned to Lord Devein, "If you'll excuse me," I curtseyed before following after the two vampires. "How was your trip?"

"Long," Bram muttered stretching his neck, "I was suppose to arrive the same time as my father, but I couldn't help but play hero," he said smiling at Gloria. "I explained to her about nearly everything, about the royal family and the way the vampire system works, so she'd be prepared for here."

"That's a good thing, considering the fact that a lot of my family is very noble and wouldn't be very happy if she didn't act a certain way around them. By the way, not to be rude, but if you hear anything you disagree with, Gloria, it is better to keep your mouth sealed. They'll punish you harshly if you speak out of turn," I said turning to her, she tugged on her hair and stared at the floor. "However," I said, "You will probably not speak with any of my family, as you will not be allowed in the council rooms, or in the same room as they are while they are having little parties since you are a new born vampire. I'll try my best to keep you as entertained as I can while you are here."

"Thank you," Gloria said smiling slightly, "You are very nice, I thought you were going to be like the Mayor's daughter of my town. No offense."

"None taken," I said before stopping in front of a door, "This will be your room for your stay, Sir Devein," I opened the door for him.

"Please, Princess- I mean, Draculaura, simply call me Bram," he said bowing, "I do not understand why you are acting so humble. You are of royal stature, I do not know why you are showing us our rooms and opening doors for us."

"I try my hardest to be humble, I avoid acting as if I'm above others," I replied simply, "I'll show Lady Gloria to her room now."

"Can I not stay with Bram?" Gloria asked, looking slightly terrified of the thought of being separated from him. I smiled softly.

"Of course you may, I just thought you'd be more comfortable in your own room. Forgive me," I said placing my hand over my heart and bowing my head.

"Please, I don't wish to be called Gloria anymore," she said before I excused myself. I wanted to have a quick bath before I went to meet with Clawrk and the others.

"What do you wish to be called, love?" Bram asked her softly. She thought for a second before sighing.

"I do not know, but I don't wish to be reminded of my home..." she wrapped her arms around herself. I stared at her before smiling.

"What about Gory?" I said as she glanced up at me, looking slightly offended. "It's a vampire name," I quickly said, "It's quite popular, and you'll be able to be recognized as a vampire in vampire society. People will not question your heritage, which will cause you both less grief in the end. As well as the fact that it retains just enough of your old name that you won't be offending your family by changing it completely, but you won't be so quick to remember your home."

"It's perfect, then," Gory replied before hugging me. I stood there shocked and she quickly pulled away. Apologizing profusely. "I'm sorry! I forgot you were of royal blood."

"It's fine, Lady Gory," I said smiling, "I am not offended. In all honesty I was shocked because if not had really anyone who outright hugged me who was not of my family. I must leave you now, however, I need some sleep. I didn't sleep during the day and the next sunrise means I'll have been awake for far too long."

"Good day, Draculaura, have a nice sleep and I will see you tomorrow for the council," Bram said after ushering Gory into their room. I waved my goodbyes and then turned. I walked at a calm pass, passing the now fixed window and headed up the stairs. I walked into my bedroom and let out a sigh. Harriet was in the process of tidying my room after I shut the door. She turned to me and gave a half smile before heading into the bathroom to draw my bath. I sat down in front of the mirror, pulled out the pins from my hair, and placed them to the side. Soon Harriet was helping me let down my hair and helping me out of my clothes. I slid into the warm bath and sighed in content.


	9. Age

Harriet stayed with me until the light broke, and then we split up. She went down to the silver hallway to get into the servants quarters that way, and I went through the secret entrance. I beat her down there, but it didn't matter. She was soon in there and Clawrk sat us down before pacing the small room. "Sif could at anytime spill this plan," he muttered sitting down. "I don't trust her. Though, if you don't accept this, she could tell them and not be affected herself."

"If I do accept it, then she could have proof that I had something to do with this. I believe she has a hidden motive to try to become the Queen of Vampires, even if she doesn't have the bloodline. It would be extremely difficult for her to do so, unless appointed by the entire council and my father and my entire family steps down quietly. If we don't then she has to fight us, and even one of our deaths at the hands of another vampire is punishable by death. If I killed my father without challenging him, I would be killed as well. It's just the way we work," I replied shrugging.

"You have to take it," Harriet muttered, "If she betrays you, you could always play the manipulation card," she shrugged, "Say that you were stringing her along, so you could give proof against her. She is trying to split up the most powerful vampire family, and that could be seen as blasphemy."

"Harriet's right," Clawrk ran his hand through his hair, "If you don't take it, we could be in a lot of trouble."

I nodded before rubbing my face and sighing. "That means there will be a war that may escalate," I looked at them, "That means any werewolf that is useful will be put to work making tools to defend the castle, as well as defending the castle itself. We still need to get the children out."

"You're father wouldn't kill children, would he?" Harriet asked, her face morphing into completely horror. I looked at her with surprise.

"No," I said patting her hand, "I'm saying for safety sake, my father won't care enough to get them out, but there will be hell waged against this castle."

"If a war does happen. You'll have to stay on the side of vampires," Clawrk spoke the elephant in the room, "You'll have to kill werewolves."

"I won't be looking for them," I replied holding up my hands, "If they attack me, I'll treat them like they are an enemy. Otherwise? I won't."

Rachel opened the door and walked into the room. Smiling. I frowned as she walked over to me and sat down. "Why are you so happy?"

"There is this really cute guy-"

"Okay..." Clawrk said and pointed to his bed, "I'll be over there until you girls are done talking about boys..."

"Clawrk..." Harriet sighed as he walked over and faced the other way. He placed a pillow over his head and I shook my head.

"Sometimes I forget you guys are only nineteen," I muttered shaking my head. Then I turned back to Rachel and smiled, "Continue." She began to describe a cute guy that was in the castle that she met during the night of doing chores. I knew better than to dash her happiness, it was so rare for her to be happy. I'd also rather talk to a five year about her little crushes than about an impending war, as well as the daggers that were hovering over the edge of our throats. "What's his name?"

"Bram," she said smiling largely. My eyebrows shot up and I shook my head.

"Bram? Oh sweetie," I said shaking my head, "He's too old for you!"

"Really?" she said looking up at me, "He looks almost your age!"

"I look thirteen," I said, "In reality I'm thirteen hundred and twenty four years old."

"How old is he?" she said, frowning slightly. I smoothed her hair and smiled.

"Eleven hundred something," I chuckled and she crossed her arms.

"He's not that much older than me!" she defended before hopping off the bed and running over to Clawrk. She shook his shoulders and he rolled over. "Can I date someone whose...uh...eleventy hundred?"

"Eleven hundred?" he asked raising his eyebrow and looking over at me. I shrugged. "You are five. I think you can handle waiting a few more years before you decide to date a boy older than you. I think Rex has a crush on you anyways."

"Really!" she said, blushing and playing with her dress. I smiled and she ran over to her bed and jumped on it. Going off into her own fantasyland, playing with her doll. Her back to us, but I knew she was being shy. I shook my head and Clawrk stood up, I saw a faint smile on his face.

"I think Clawrk wants to settle down someday," I said looking at him, "Own a little cottage and have lots of babies, like six or seven!"

"That'll be the day," Harriet said chuckling, "Clawrk said he wants to be an adventurer! Explore America and become pack master of an actual pack, and not enslaved werewolves."

"I respect that," I replied smiling up at Clawrk. Clawrk rubbed his neck and coughed.

"Anyways, I think we should really get back onto subject-"

"I wonder who he'll mate with," Harriet said, interrupting him, "Maybe Alexandria, or Nora!"

"Or you," I joked and they both looked at each other before away. Both blushing. I frowned. "Wait..."

"Anyways!" Clawrk said loudly, clapping his hand over my mouth. I resisted the urge to bite at his fingers and settled at glaring at him. "We have to focus on the council that's coming up. You've got a voice for this one, since you are your father's second hand man-well woman, now."

"I can't go against his will though, only suggest a better route, and if he disagrees I am to be silent once again. Or I challenge him. I do not want the responsibility of a Queen! I'm only thirteen hundred!"

"I'm nineteen and I'm pack master!" Clawrk retorted, "You are much more able to handle people than I am."

"Hey, thirteen hundred is like thirteen. So if I was a werewolf, I'd only be thirteen!" I pointed at him, "Though I am more mature than you," I smiled and he frowned.

"Clearly you are delusional from a lack of sleep. We'll adjourn and you can go and get some rest. You are going to need it for tonight," he said opening the wall for me and leaning against it sighing. "If you were an thirteen year old werewolf, you'd be annoying."

"If you were a nineteen hundred year old vampire, you'd be a prick," I retorted stepping out of the room before leaning back in, "Also, you'd probably be old."

"Hey!" he snapped and I giggled and ran up the steps.

**In all honesty. I wanted to show how they are really just kids. They aren't adults. They are literally teenagers. Well, Draculaura is pretty old, but she looks thirteen. Quite honestly, the more she spends around other teenagers, the more she'll act like them. She's spent most of her years around only adults so she had to grow up pretty quickly. Unfortunatly.**


	10. Forced

Immediately after meeting up with my friends, I conked out for the night. My body was so tired, I almost missed waking up the next day. Fortunately, the wives woke me up and prepared me for the council meeting. I was put into another fancy ball gown, my hair pinned up, and my makeup done up. I was ready. Clean cut and business like. However, I was still exhausted. I couldn't let it show in the council room however. So as I walked over there. I occasionally pinched myself or stepped on my foot to keep me awake. I'd rather be in my room sleeping right now then sit and discuss how the world is going to hell right now.

This time, it wasn't restricted to just the council members, my father, grandfather and I. It was the first-born vampires of the council members. However, since it was so rare for vampires to give birth, there was only three in the room, including Bram and myself. My father started off by apologizing to the group of vampires for calling them back on such short notice and within such a short time period of the last council meeting.

He went on to tell them about the explosion and how the werewolves were acting strangely. The others said that their castle werewolves were acting the same. No breakouts, or even attempts. No rumours nothing. Which gave my father even more reason to know there was a spy in the castle. I sat still and looked at the other vampires, waiting for any of them to accuse me. None of them even glanced my way.

Suddenly, the doors were knocked on rapidly. My father waved to one of the vampires who was fortunate enough to get to stay in the room to open it. The messenger woman bowed deeply before walking over with a letter. "A letter from Lady Stenberg addressing urgent news," she said handing the letter to my father.

He took the letter and dismissed the woman with a wave. After the door closed my father scanned the letter, as if he didn't really care. Though, his eyes widened the slightest and then he re-read it carefully. He walked over to his throne and sat down. "This is grave news."

"What is it?" Lord Devein asked, frowning, "What has happened in Lady Stenberg's land?"

"Rogue vampires attacked werewolves, not just any werewolves, however," my father looked up at the council, "They attacked the Monster council member!"

The council members began to talk amongst themselves before Lord Vasile spoke up. "Isn't this what we wanted to happen originally?"

"No!" my father snapped, "You imbecile, don't you realize what this means?"

"That we are one step closer to shoving those mongrels down?" the man said before taking a sip from his goblet. My father hissed and gripped the letter tighter.

"Would you like me to spell it out for you?" my father asked, his voice tight. "The vampires attacked the werewolf Monster council member. They didn't kill him. Those vampires were slaughtered. There were witnesses! That means, Vasile, that Lady Stenberg will be held accountable for the attacks! That means the werewolf community will think I ordered her to attack them!"

"Then it's your problem," Vasile said standing up, "I don't see why we are here."

The doors burst open and the messenger woman raced up with another letter. My father snatched it from her and read it. Then he shouted at the woman to leave, as well as the other vampire in the room. They coward out of the room as my father walked back over to the throne. He tossed the letter onto the ground in front of him and stared at it. Then glared at Vasile. "Sit down, or I will murder you."

Vasile slowly lowered himself back down into his chair. The group of council members stared at my father with fear in their eyes. My eyes met Bram's and his eyebrows came together. I lightly raised my shoulders before lowering them. I didn't know what my father was so wound up about. He wasn't speaking, which was more frightening than anything. He turned to me and motioned for me to come closer. I leaned towards him.

"You know where to go to ground, correct?" he whispered, and I nodded.

"Why?" I whispered back, "What did the letter say?"

He leaned away without answering and I straightened. Fear coursing through me. Whatever was on that letter was not good news. I needed to get to Clawrk and Harriet. I needed to get them out of here, and as far away as possible. America would be safest. My father stood up and slowly walked to the center of the group and cleared his throat.

"Our plan must be stopped," he said loudly, "No killing your werewolves, instead, put them to work. Make them make the finest weapons you can muster. Tie them to the walls. Make them bleed to prepare for the news I am about to tell you."

He looked at all of them. "Lady Stenberg has been attacked, her castle was taken down by those mongrels. They took their friends and slaughtered any vampires within the area. Lady Stenberg and her mate were able to escape from the castle and they are making their way to this castle as we speak. The werewolves have un-officially declared war against the vampires."

Everyone started shouting and demanding that my father do something. They didn't want to put themselves at risk. I knew they were too weak to fight the werewolves. They didn't want their lives to be at a disadvantage. They didn't want to 'lower' themselves to the werewolves. They were weak. My father waited until the shouts lessened before he held up his hands. "I cannot undo the mistake of a few. Unfortunately, a war has begun. You are all to return to your Castles and spread the word of the war to as many vampires as possible. We cannot allow any vampire to be unprepared of the upcoming attacks. I will stay here and have the breach in my Castle repaired double time, as well as prepare my family for the war that will be hitting this castle soon. Council dismissed!"

Everyone stood up, bowed before heading out of the room. I stood up and started, but my father grabbed my arm. "You need to get ready to go to ground, love."

"I am not going to leave you or my people to fend for themselves!" I retorted, "I will stay and fight!"

"You are a lady!" my father shot back, "You shouldn't own a weapon or even lift one! I won't allow you too!"

"Father! I can hold a weapon, I can defend myself! Please allow me to try!" I said looking up at him, "Werewolves cannot breach our castle! You should know this! They tried to breach the walls before!"

"Before werewolves were on the inside!" he shook my slightly, and bent down, "Draculaura, listen to me! I will not allow your life to be in danger!"

"They are werewolves, they can sniff my body out. No matter what I'll be dead," I replied looking at him, "Allow me to fight, allow me to try."

"What if you are hurt! What if you are killed!" he stood up pointing at me, "I will not allow my only child, my only daughter to die! You are half human, Draculaura, you are weaker than a werewolf!"

"There is a lot wrong with me isn't there," I huffed, "I'm a woman. I'm young. I'm part human."

"I can remove one of those easily!" my father said, "Remove the impurity from you!"

"I like being part human! I have feelings! Unlike you!" I shot back and turned to storm away. My father caught me before I did and sunk his teeth into my neck. I went to let out a scream but my father covered my mouth and continued to drink. My eyes widened and they filled with tears. I had never been bitten before, and it was horrible. I could feel my blood being drained. My father let my fall onto the stone before stepping away from me.

"You are no longer a disgusting creature," my father muttered before walking away. My eyes closed slowly, I felt as if I was dying.


	11. Archery

My head felt cloudy. My fangs were extended and poking into my lip. I was hungry. However, I quickly forced my teeth back. I didn't want to kill anyone. I didn't want to attack anyone like I had...I shook my head. I couldn't focus on those thoughts. There were more pressing matters. My hand found its way up to my neck as I sat up. It was cleaned up and the wound was healing. I didn't think I had been out that long. My eyes searched the room.

It wasn't mine. I knew that much. It was a servants quarters. Three beds made up the room. A small doll laid on the pillow of one. I rubbed my eyes and looked around. It was Clawrk, Harriet and Rachel's room. They were not there, however, and that terrified me. What if they were in danger or hurt. I couldn't waste my time thinking like that. I pushed the blanket off me, to discover I wasn't wearing my dress. Instead, I was wearing the thick, rather itchy, pants that my friends wore. A thick shirt was tied around my waist with a thick rope like string.

My hair was sloppily braided and I felt washed and cleaned. I heard a crack of the whip outside and cowered. I prayed that my father hadn't thrown me in here to teach me a lesson. I head slave drivers telling the werewolves to hurry it up. They were building something. I could hear hammer on metal and people scurrying around. No one entered the room, however. The time passed and soon the slave drivers demanded that the werewolves got back to their 'cells'.

The door opened and I froze. Harriet and Clawrk walked in. Clawrk sat down on his bed, and stretched. Harriet sat down beside me and put a finger to her mouth. Footsteps walked past the hall and the light that seeped through the bottom of the door faded. Soon there was no more noise. Harriet sighed and turned to me. She quickly checked me over before standing up and sitting beside Clawrk on his bed. I swung my legs over the bed and stared at them.

"Why am I here?" I asked, my gaze flickering between both of them. Clawrk rubbed his neck and then shook out his arms. He looked exhausted.

"Your father," Harriet spat out, crossing her arms. "He left you for dead in the council room. Some werewolves found you and brought you to Clawrk. Cus they aren't allowed to talk to vampires. Clawrk said he'd take care of you and brought you here."

"I wasn't dying," I muttered trying to soothe her anger, "I'm just no longer partially alive."

"What does that even mean?" Harriet asked, throwing her hands up. I saw confusion and anger in her eyes. I pressed my lips together and breathed out calmly. Before I explained to her what I was talking about, the door was knocked on. I froze and my eyes snapped to Clawrk. Wondering what I could do. It was difficult for anyone to hide in this room. Clawrk stood up and went to the door, completely calm. He opened the door and Myles walked in. He sighed after looking at me.

"Good. She's not dead," he said sitting down on Rachel's bed. "Er...at least she's not deader than normal."

"Good, you're still an idiot," I muttered under my breath before looking at Harriet. "Anyways. My mother was a human when she gave birth to me, which means I was part human. My father bit me in a way that caused the venom of a vampire to change me into a full vampire."

"He still left you alone to bleed out! No cleaning your wound, no taking you to your room to get rest!" Harriet snapped staring at me, "What if you had died there?"

"Then I would've died and it would be extremely unfortunate," I replied softly, I looked at her full on, instead of avoiding her gaze. "Look, Harriet, I've been alive for thirteen hundred years. Everything is the same, well there are more advances in the world. Like more weapons and better houses. At the center of it all. It's the same. Same boring humans and vampires. Same boring everything. Nothing really changes."

"You have," Clawrk said, "You have befriended werewolves, who, no offense, hate vampires! You have broken pretty much every vampire tradition, and still are accepted by your father!"

"You make it sound like that's a big feat. My father only accepts me because I am his only flesh and blood daughter. If I was a son, he'd love me ten times more!" I retorted before shaking my head. "The point is. Once everything has been the same for thirteen hundred years, things just don't surprise you and you get bored. In another three hundred years, I'll probably have no emotions and be a boring old stick in the mud like my father. I will grow up to be a boring vampire Queen who kills to get a little excitement in her life. It's just the way the vampire life works. At least werewolves will die before they get bored of life."

"You sound very suicidal," Myles interrupted, causing Harriet to glare at him. He shrugged his shoulders and leaned forwards, "Is that why you are risking your life for us?"

"No. I have feelings," I snapped back, "I am not yet the boring murderous Queen vamp."

"You are far from it," Myles grinned, "If you didn't have pale skin, sharp teeth and pink eyes, you could be a werewolf."

"I'd rather be," I muttered before scratching my legs. "However, not right now. I feel like such a princess! I need to get out of these clothes."

"Sorry, you're other ones had blood on them, and Clawrk couldn't put you back into your room while you were bleeding out," Harriet replied patting my shoulder. "I'll take you to your room right away. People won't be suspicious if I'm in your room."

"The werewolves have declared war against vampires," I said before she helped me up. Everyone's eyes snapped to mine. Clawrk stood up and walked over to me.

"We didn't have anything to do with it. I swear-"

"I know, Clawrk, it was Stenberg. The plot backfired. The werewolves who were attacked was the ambassador of the werewolves and his family. The vampires who attacked were killed however. The ambassador wasn't too happy and ordered an attack on Stenberg Castle. Everyone besides Lady Stenberg and her mate were slaughtered," I replied quietly, "That's why you guys are making weapons. They are to protect this castle from the oncoming attack of werewolves that will happen any time in the next couple of months. That extends your life until the war is over, or if you guys are killed during battle."

"What do you mean? The werewolves won't kill us," Myles said shaking his head, "We're imprisoned, they'll break us free so we can help slaughter your family-"

Harriet gave him a look before slapping him across the face. "You should leave if you continue to be a jerk to her! Remember who is trying to help us here!" she growled before turning to me. She closed her eyes and took a few deep breaths before she spoke up. "I think I know what you mean. Your family will have us defending the castle during the daytime, and nighttime. However, during the night time the vampires will help defend."

"Yes, and you'll have no choice in the matter. You'll have to kill werewolves, or be tortured for treason and then killed, I cannot get you out with the security going on. You'll have to wait out this war," I apologized averting my eyes from them. I felt bad. All our hard work and they were going to be slaughtered and killed. I didn't want them to die. They were my only friends. I didn't get along with many other vampires, and werewolves were much friendlier. I suppose it was because I had been part human that I felt emotional attachment to them. If I was born a full vampire, they would be dead right now and I wouldn't care either way. I paused and looked up at them. "Where is Rachel?"

"She's only five," Harriet soothed stroking my head, "She's allowed to wander the castle during the day. Your father has allowed it. She only goes to the library and outside for a walk anyways. You could probably teach her to read if there wasn't a war breathing down your back."

"Which I'll be asleep for," I muttered staring at my hands. "My father said I must go to ground with his wives for the entire war. I cannot fight alongside anyone."

"Why listen to him?" Clawrk asked staring at me, "Just do it, in armour your father won't be able to recognize you."

"I've never trained in armour," I wrung my hands together. My face lit up and I looked at him. "I'm good at archery! I can shoot things over three hundred feet away!"

"Then you sneak up to the tower and we'll make sure to sneak a lot of silver arrows up there," Myles said grinning at me. No longer being a jerk. "You sure you can tell the difference between foe and alley from all the way up there?"

My eyebrow quirked upwards. "I have night vision and I have eye sight that rivals a hawk," I shook my head, "I'm sure I'll be able to tell the difference between vampires, and werewolves. I'll be able to tell the difference between good werewolves and the ones trying to murder my family. Considering you guys will be all chained to the wall, so the werewolves who aren't chained to a wall will be shot."

I grinned at them. They stared at me oddly before Clawrk opened his mouth and shook his head. "Your father finds new ways to insult us for being part wolf."


	12. Teaching

My father was incredibly during the nights. He barely spoke to anyone and when he did, it was quick snappy words. Everyone was returning home. Except Bram and his new mate, Gory. They were staying in Romania for the time being. Bram didn't want Gory to be in any type of danger, and she would be safest in this castle. It was nearly impenetrable. Bram was going to pull the same stunt that my father was pulling. Gory would sleep through the entire war. However, I planned to not be asleep.

I had manufactured a way to be able to slip out of the coffin and escape from where we went to ground. My father wouldn't bury us, the werewolves would be able to see the freshly dug up grass and dig there. Successfully killing us during our slumber. Instead, he would hide us in a secret room, that someone gained entrance like how I got to the servants rooms. There was little way I was going to be able to get out of the coffin my father would make me sleep in, but I knew one way. I hide a small wood chunk in the coffin I would be sleeping in under the pillow. When my father went to shut the coffin, I would wedge it between the two edges, so I could slip out and he wouldn't be the wiser.

I knew I could only come out during the day, which is why I would tuck a pocket watch somewhere on my person before I got in. That way, once I knew the sun came up, I could escape without my father being any the wiser.

Other things took my delicate planning. Like ensuring that no vampires would be in the tower during the day. I snuck out of the castle during the day and went to the nearest town. Bought some garlic and then hid it in the tower, touching garlic wouldn't harm me. Ingesting it would. Alternatively, breathing in too much of the garlic scent. I made sure to scrape the garlic on the stone so the scent would fill the room. The vampires wouldn't put any werewolves up in the two since they wouldn't trust the werewolves to have a bow and arrow.

I also saw the list of vampires who would be fighting. Not too many would be. The vampires who would be fighting during the day, would only be protecting where the other vampires would be sleeping. There was one vampire scheduled to be fighting in the tower, but I knew he would fall ill, so ill he couldn't concentrate while shooting. I didn't dwell on what would happen to that vampire if my father figured out he was pretty useless. I knew that there wouldn't be any extra vampires to spare, and even if there were. I could always trick them into leaving. Or I could find a different spot to shoot at.

I didn't have much time to speak to Clawrk, Myles, or Harriet. They were too busy preparing armour and weapons for everyone. My father had the outside peices of armour coated in silver, that way if werewolves tried to attack them without weapons, they would get burnt either way. Harriet had stolen some fabric from the storage and made some easy to move clothes for me. I needed to be silent and dark, that way neither vampire nor werewolf could spot me. Werewolves could smell me out, but I had a plan if werewolves tried to sneak up on me.

Rachel was still blissfully unaware of the impeding war. She didn't question it went I tried on the clothes Harriet had sewn me, or examined the bow Clawrk had snuck out of the armoury. She didn't question it when Myles had her sneak up arrows to the tower I would be in. Or questioned it when my father ordered for her to stop coming out during the day. Part of me knew that she knew what was happening, but part of me hoped she was just not curious to our actions. She was still infatuated with Bram, and when she found out he was staying there, she nearly melted.

Bram was spending as much time with Gory as was possible. When I spoke to Gory, asking her how she felt. She told me honestly. She was scared, she wanted to stay by Bram's side. She didn't want to sleep for the entire war, she didn't know how long it was going to be. She didn't want Bram to die without her knowledge. She didn't want to be blissfully sleeping while they are cleaning up his corpse.

"I'd rather be dead," she whispered staring at the ground. My heart melted and I stepped forwards. I wrapped my arms around her and squeezed her shoulders. "He's the only person I have now!"

"It's alright," I murmured pulling away, "This may not mean much, but you are not alone in this."

"Because you are going to ground as well?" she asked wringing her hands together, "But you don't have a mate!"

"That's true," I smiled, "I have a person who is courting me, however," I sighed, "He's in America right now, and the Monster Council has forbidden any Monsters from crossing over to Europe to help with the war. It would just fuel the dead bodies, they'd rather limit it to Europe. He has no idea that this castle will be a war zone."

"Oh! Draculaura!" Gory said, her hand covering her mouth, "That's awful! Why don't you send him a letter?"

"If I did, then he'd break rules to get over here. I'd rather him be safe overseas, then risk his life coming over," I replied smiling falsely at her, "Besides, I'm sure the Monster Council will step in after a year or so and force the werewolves and vampires to sign a treaty."

"Is that why you seem so casual with all this war business breathing down your back?" she questioned as we begun to walk. I laughed and shook my head.

"I'm casual because a princess needs to have composure and confidence, even in the midst of a war. Besides, I'd rather my father die in war then what will happen in the future," I sighed staring at the floor, "Has Bram explained the vampire way to becoming the successor of a powerful position?" She shook her head, looking a little distraught. "I'll have to challenge my father when I reach a peak age, and the challenge will end up in either me or my father dying," I replied, "Bram will eventually have to do the same thing with his father."

"That's awful!" Gory scoffed shaking her head and stopping. She put her hands on her hips. "Why can't those old gits step down?"

"They won't age, so why should they give up their positions?" I replied turning slightly and raising my eyebrow. "Vampires as old as my father and Bram's father, they are usually quite stubborn and they wouldn't give their positions up to their children so readily. Unless I proved to be an excellent fighter, and a fit Queen. My father wouldn't give up his spot unless everyone knew that I was a better Queen than he is King. Though that won't happen. I'm a female, there has only been one queen and that was my Great-grandmother, and she became Queen because she kill her husband."

Gory looked at me in horror and covered her mouth. I felt bad for telling her all that and ushered her forewords, "I'm sorry, I forget you are just a baby vampire."

"I am not a baby!" Gory defended, "I've just been taught by my mother that a lady never submits her thoughts, voice or actions to violence!"

I rolled my eyes slightly, "Well then I must not be a lady."

"I'm so sorry!" she gasped, "I didn't mean it that way! Please forgive me!"

"Its fine," I said as we walked past a room where all the male vampires were. "I bet they are drinking and gambling," I muttered shaking my head.

"Does your father...er...every get fresh humans to feed off of?" she whispered as we started away from the door.

"Every once in a while, I don't indulge in that, however," I replied, "Not allowed even if I wanted to. I must keep my clothes and hair neat and tidy," I said smoothing my skirt out and smiling at her. "Why don't we retire to the library? I believe I have a lesson to teach."

"What do you mean?" she asked as we started up a set of stairs to the library. I opened the door and let her walk in. Rachel was sitting silently painting on a canvas, it was a rather sloppy painting. Mostly because she hadn't been taught to paint, just given paints by my father to keep her busy. As well as me satisfied.

"I teach this little girl how to read," I replied walking over to Rachel and placing my hand on her shoulder.

"She's human," Gory said in surprise. I smiled and waited until Rachel placed the paints down and wiped the paints from her hands. Then I lifted her up and then shooed her over to grab a book.

"Yeah, one of the servants gave birth to her, but she didn't have werewolf genes. Everyone found that odd, but before she was killed, another servant took a liking to her and took her in as their own. My father wasn't pleased, but then the servant approached me and I just fell in love with that little girl. I saved her from being killed, and now I teach her how to read and write during the day. Since she's too young to do much work," I replied shrugging my shoulders as Rachel ran back over with the book. "If you are uncomfortable, then I won't mind if you wish to go and explore the castle a bit more."

"No, it's fine," Gory said quickly before blushing faintly. "Can you teach me how to read as well?"

"Of course," I said smiling, "We have books in a lot of languages, and since you speak Italian, I'll have to find an book written in Italian."

"Thank you so much," Gory said stepping forwards and hugging me, "You are the best royal I have ever had the chance to meet!"

"Aren't I the only royal you have met?" I asked, quirking my eyebrow as I led them over to the fireplace. I got a servant to light the fire before getting Rachel to sit down.

"I met your mothers," Gory muttered sitting down beside Rachel

"They aren't my mothers, their my father's wives," I clarified, "I can see why you like me better." I laughed before handing Rachel the book and switching to Romanian to tell her to start on the first chapter. I excused myself and took five minutes to find a book in Italian for Gory. I sat down beside Gory and started teaching her. Going slow. Rachel took a liking to Gory, but they were unable to really communicate, since Rachel spoke Romanian and Gory spoke Italian.

**Something to say quickly: Draculaura was taught pretty much all major European languages. Such as Italian, Romanian, French, English, Dutch, German, Greek, Irish, Spanish, ect. Bram was taught as well, since all the councillors speak different languages and he himself needs to know Irish, Italian, Portuguese, English, German, Greek, and Spanish. All werewolves under Dracula speak Romanian, and the vampires. Gory speaks only Italian. However, in my story New Blood, she speaks Italian, Romanian, Irish and English all fluently. **


	13. Chess

There was yet to be any sign of attack on our castle. The other countries had full on wars happening. Two castle had been already taken over and their prisoners released. Stenberg Castle, and Vasile Castle. Unfortunately, Vasile and his entire family was slaughtered. He didn't have the fortune of escaping like Sif did. She was still on the way over, since she couldn't take a carriage straight to our castle. It had to be more covert and protective. She wasn't allowed to be seen by any werewolves or they would kill her and her mate. Bram had gotten word that Devein Castle was under siege but so far, they were holding the werewolves back.

The mood was sinking lower and lower in our castle. Everyone was like a timid fawn. Jumping at every howl of the wind and every scratch. My father, however, wasn't like a fawn at all. More like a rattlesnake. Lashing out at people whenever they bothered him. It was angering people, but they kept their mouths shut to avoid angering him even more. For the first time in a long time, he shouted at his wives. Who immediately fled the room in tears. I could see the regret in his eyes and he instantly went after them. If his wives feared him, then he wouldn't get any benefits from having three wives.

He had yet to yell at me. Since I kept my distance and stayed very quiet whenever he was around, only speaking when he asked me a question. I wasn't terrified of him, but I was being cautious. If he went to the wives to apologize, they would forgive him. He yelled at me and I ran from the room crying, I wouldn't forgive him. I knew that he would worry about my actions, wondering if I would run to my mother in France, or at least that was where she last was.

I was concerned for Rachel. She couldn't go and sleep through the war, she was a human. At the same time, she couldn't stay in the servant's quarters, lest an injured vampire finds her alone. Even if the vampire knew that she was not to be touched, he would still kill her and blame it on the werewolves. Only increasing the amount of tension between the two groups. I had to think of a plan to keep her safe. I couldn't lock her up alone in a room, she would get curious and try to see what was going on. That wouldn't be good if she was roaming the castle and a stray arrow or a dagger hit her.

These thoughts clogged my mind as I tried to fall asleep. It wasn't working. I couldn't. My heartfelt hollow and my head was filled with so many what-if's that I couldn't even dream of resting my eyes. I was so on edge that when a flash of lighting lit my room, I shot up and looked around the room. As if, I expected something to be there. I leaned forwards in my bed and rubbed my eyes before pulling my legs to my chest and let out a sigh. I closed my eyes briefly.

_I heard a noise and my eyes snapped open. I frowned. This room was unfamiliar. I looked down at the bed. Dark blue. Those weren't my blankets. I quickly stood up and looked around. There was a square box on a short wardrobe, a weird smaller square box sat beside it and had weird black vines going to oddly shaped things. I stepped over them cautiously and walked to the door. Quietly I moved to open it, but instead my hand went through the door. I frowned and moved to walk through it. A short hallway. I followed it, walking on the odd rug._

_There was a scent of baking and I stepped down the stairs and found the kitchen area. A female with short, oddly coloured, hair was making cookies. A woman stood up beside her and placed down a metal tray. I watched as they formed dough balls, laughing. The woman pushed her hair away from her face, reveal golden eyes. My eyes widened and I started to mouth her name but then a loud crash noise startled me. I froze and my eyes met the shorter female's eyes before my eyes closed._

"Draculaura," a familiar voice called, shaking me. My eyes pried open and I jumped away from the person. Then calmed down when I realized it was just my father. He stroked my hair as I took a few deep breathes. "What's wrong?"

"Nothing," I shook my head and rubbed my eyes, "Just had an odd dream," I replied looking up at him, "It was very strange."

"Do you wish to tell me about it?" he asked pulling me closer to him and stroking my hair.

"Dad," I frowned, "I'm thirteen hundred-"

"You are still a child, and a father can cuddle with his little girl," he informed staring at me, "Besides, whenever the mongrels attack, we may not see each other for a very long time," he replied. I stared at him before leaning my head against his shoulder and allowing him to pull me into his lap and rub my back. I told him about the dream, and the entire time he was silent. There was a flash of thunder and a loud rumble of lightning and I cowered into him. "That is an odd dream," he informed after he got up to close the curtains so the little light was ripped from the room. He lit a candle and sat down again. "Weird boxes and woman wearing pants?" he laughed and shook his head, "I cannot imagine where that is."

I laughed and smiled at him, "Dresses are so beautiful, I don't understand why a woman would want to wear those," I said pointing at his pants, "over a gown!" My father chuckled and smiled back at me.

"Do you think you'll be able to go back asleep?" he asked me, and I shook my head.

"I'm too worried," I muttered looking down at my hands. He stood up and fetched my bathrobe and handed it to me.

"Why don't we play some chess?" he asked me, "It'll take your mind off your worries and you'll be able to fall asleep. I'll get a maid to fetch you some warm tea as well," he said as I stood up and pulled the bathrobe around my body and tied it. I smiled at him and he offered me his hand. I looked up at him, "Your Uncle was getting on my nerves."

"What do you mean?" I questioned as I took his hand and he led me from the room.

"He was accusing me of being a horrible parent, and that I should spend more time with you. So, I decided that I would be a better parent while I can," he responded as he led me to the library. It was warm and a chess set was already set up in front of the fireplace. He pulled a chair out so I could sit down before he moved over and sat down on the other side. He motioned for me to go first. I moved a pawn forwards and it started the game. We were silent as we moved the chess peices around the table. By the time tea had come, I had lost a knight, three pawns and a bishop.

He poured tea while contemplating his next move. After handing me a cup he made a move and the game continued. We played for ten minutes, until I was down to five peices. My king, three pawns, and my rook. My father still had his king, three pawns and a knight. Within twenty moves, I had him beat. He stared at the board for a minute before looking up at me. "You've been practising," he said as we reset the peices.

"Or I have just being paying attention," I responded glancing up at him with a smug smile, "You're distracted, or letting me win."

"You are accusing me of not trying to win?" my father asked scoffing and starting the game again. I nodded and made a move. "Well then, this time I will win," he smiled. I could tell he was actually trying now. His moves were quicker and within five minutes he had beat me. I smiled and took a sip of tea. This was nice. The calm before the storm. Even it meant that this castle would be under siege, I was appreciating this moment.


	14. Check

**Just in case you wanted to listen to some music when listening to this. I recomend **_**Downtime by Hanyuudesu**_** at the start, and **_**Pyrocumulus [kickstart] by hanyuudesu **_**near the end. (If you do choose to listen to those, search them on youtube and click the first link for both of the songs. Thank.)**

We set up a new game. My father stared at the chess peices then motioned for me to go. I took my time before moving a pawn forward two spaces. However, my fingers stayed holding the piece. Something was wrong. My father noticed I was listening for something and he stood up. I released my fingers from the pawn and looked towards the window. My father shook his head before reaching forwards. There was a crash and the window of the library smashed open. My father hissed loudly and yanked me up from where I was sitting. A man walked forwards, producing a knife from his person.

"Your security system needs work," the man growled before lunging at my father. I shoved my father to the side before leaping away from the man. The man took a second before he turned towards me father, swinging the dagger towards him. I watched as my father dodged the attacks, increasing anger growing on his face.

"Run!" he shouted at me, I gripped the chair staring at my father. Terror raced through my body. I couldn't leave him here unarmed. "Draculaura! Get out of here and alert the castle!"

The dagger plunged into my father's shoulder and he hissed and fell down. The man turned to me and started advancing. I knocked the table over, the chess pieces scattering into the fire. He growled and kicked the table out of the way. "Where do you keep your werewolves?"

I backed away until I reached the door. "If you are the only one, then you'll have to do a lot better than this to take down this castle." I warned as I groped for the handle.

"Oh, there are more than just me. Your entire castle is surrounded by us, if your father truly loves you, he better surrender before you die," he started after me. I glanced at my father and saw him standing up. I knew he would be alright once he had the advantage. I found the handle and rushed through the door, I slammed it shut before running down the hall. I shouted at close vampires to help my father before instructed a vampire to alert everyone else. Then I ran to where Bram and Gory were staying. I burst open the door, causing them to look up from where they sat.

"The castle is under attack, Gory, you must come with me to get the wives," I said quickly, worrying for her safety. Bram stood up, pulling Gory with him. He wrapped his arms around her and kissed her hard. He then pushed her away towards me.

"Go, Gory, I'll be safe!" he said quickly before moving across the room and grabbing his sword. "You must get to safety," he said as he walked towards us. She wrapped her arms around him and kissed him. I saw tears falling down her eyes. Bram wrapped his arms around her waist before pulling away. "Please."

I grabbed Gory's hand as she backed up. She turned and followed me out. We ran as howls rang out around the castle, Gory tightened her grip on my hand and I could tell fear was running through her. We didn't speak as we ran, vampires ran past us, covered with their armour. We ran up a twisted staircase and continued to run until the wives bumped into us. I pushed Gory towards them, I needed to fake something quick. "You guys go ahead of me!" I said quickly, Marishka grabbed my arm.

"Your father would murder us!" she snapped pulling me after them, "I will not allow that!"

"I need to do something," I retorted pulling away from her, "Please, I will be not a moment!"

"Let her go, Marishka," Aleera hissed, "If we don't get to the coffins we'll be dead anyways!"

Marishka finally gave in and for the first time, openly threatened me in front of others. Then she turned around, grabbing Gory's arm instead. I didn't stand to watch them pulling her away before I turned around and running back down the staircase. I quickly went to the portrait and crept down the staircase to Clawrk and Harriet's room. I pushed the wall open and looked inside. Harriet was quickly helping Clawrk into his armour. When she finished tightening it onto his body, he turned around and stared at her for a second. Then he pulled her to him and kissed her. My hand slipped from the wall as I stared. Confusion clouded my mind before Rachel jumped up and ran over to me.

She wrapped her arms around me and cried, clutching my waist as if I would die if she let go. Harriet glanced over immediately before pulling away from Clawrk and rushing over. "Draculaura, you must go to the coffins, you cannot be out during the night! What if someone catches you?"

"Harriet, you have to promise me that Rachel will be safe!" I said quickly, grabbing Harriet's shoulders. She nodded.

"I won't let a soul touch her," she replied pulling me towards her, "You must be safe yourself, promise me that you won't do anything drastic!"

"I promise, I won't be killed," I replied hugging her tightly back. "If anyone tries to get into this room, hide in the passageway, do not let anyone find you. During the day, I'll try to bring you food. If a werewolf does find you..." I trailed off, "They want to free you, and so they won't harm you."

"I'm not going with them," Harriet said firmly pulling away and looking over at Clawrk who was pulling on a helmet, "Clawrk is the pack master, and if he says we fight, then we'll fight and die."

I looked over at Clawrk and chewed my lip. "You don't have to fight for my family," I called out as he reached for the door. He turned around and stared at me through the armoured helmet.

"I'm fighting for my friend," he countered and took a deep breath, "At least I get some adventuring before I die."

"You won't die," I called as he opened the door, "Not if I can help it!"

Clawrk laughed before closing the door. I helped Harriet push a bed against the door before we changed my clothes. I went from princess to my dark easy to move in clothes. I hooked blades onto my shoes and clasped a sword sheathe around my waist. Rachel stared at me, and then started sobbing.

"Please, Miss!" she cried, "Don't leave me!"

I knelt down in front of her and pulled her into a hug. "I'll never let you die," I whispered stroking her hair, "Do not be afraid."

"Don't leave me here alone," she cried burying her head into my hair and wrapping her arms around me. "I'll be scared!"

"Harriet will be here," I responded, picking her up and carrying her over to her bed. I placed her down and tucked her in. I stroked her hair. "Close your eyes. The sun has set, so I must go. You'll be alright, no one can hurt you. Come morning light, you, Harriet, Clawrk, and I will be alright." She stared at me, and I stood up. Harriet walked over to me, and we exchanged one last hug before she sat down beside Rachel. I gave them one last look before heading into the secret passage and closing the door slightly, leaving it open enough to allow them to sneak into the passage and close it if needed.

I stared at the wall before turning and racing up the stairs. Moving in pants was much better. I could move without fear of tripping on my skirt. I reached the portrait and stepped through. Werewolves and vampires were fighting every which way. I pulled the hood of my clothe over my head and ran passed them. I ducked into a roll as a werewolf shot an arrow, it caught my shoulder, but just tore the fabric. Not hitting my skin. I stood up and jumped to the side as he tried to hit me with the bow. A vampire took the opportunity to stab the werewolf in the back with a silver sword.

I shot up the stairs and ran down the hallway. I passed Myles, who yanked me to the side, just as a werewolf launched towards me. He winked before launching himself at the female. I shouted a quick thank you before jumping over a railing and heading up another set of stairs. This time I was able to sneak into the coffin room and shut the door before any werewolves or vampires started fighting on the top floor. I shot down the steps, seeing the coffins already closed. I quickly jumped into mine, stuck the wooden block between the edges and closed the door.

I looked at the watch before staring at the roof and closing my eyes. I knew I would wake up normally. Since the coffin wasn't completely closed, allowing air to circulate through the coffin. As well as vampires do not sleep for long periods of time without blood. Since I have a strictly no blood diet, it would be hard for me to sleep through the entire war.


	15. Beginning

I slowly woke up having the dream of the girl again before I quietly pushed the coffin lid up. I rubbed my eyes before placing the wooden block between the lid and the edge of the coffin. I looked at the pocket watch and snuck out the exit of the coffin room. This one led to a concealed tunnel that led to the council room. I climbed the ladder and pushed the hatch. I climbed out before closing the hatch quietly. I peered out past the tapestry that was hiding the hatch. No one was in the council room. I stepped past the tapestry and headed out. I pulled my hood up and pulled a mask to cover my nose and mouth, I knew the garlic scent would still be up there, I couldn't breathe that in.

I ran past the fighting werewolves and climbed the stairs to the tower. I reached the top and shoved the door open. A vampire was knocked unconscious on the ground. I let out a curse before dragging his body out of the way and propping it up. I covered his mouth and nose with part of his shirt before grabbing the bow and arrows that Rachel had snuck up here. I noticed that on all the arrows, Rachel had tied a pink ribbon to them. I smiled and attached the quiver to my back.

Then I scoped out the area. There were werewolves everywhere. I could see where they set up camp, and knew where they were coming in to the castle. Occasionally, while I was scoping out the best spots to shoot from, I would hear a sharp whine or scream and look down to see if it was someone, I knew. Then I quickly drew an arrow and mounted it. I drew the string back and took aim. I inhaled evenly and stared down the arrow at the werewolf climbing up a tower. Then as I exhaled, I released the arrow. Without checking to see if it made contact, I quickly grabbed another arrow and took aim at a werewolf who threw a vampire over the edge of the wall. Inhale, exhale. Draw, release. The arrow whizzed through the air and hit the werewolf in the chest as he turned.

There was a howl and I quickly drew another arrow, when I glanced down from the tower, I saw two werewolves climbing the bricks of the tower. I jumped onto the ledge and placed my foot on the horizontal part of the tower. I redrew the arrow and quickly released it. The werewolf got hit and fell to the floor. However, the other one continued up the tower and I had to jump back into the tower before he clawed at me. I quickly pulled the bow around my body and unsheathed my sword. The werewolf used the pillow to launch himself into the room. I jumped to the side, narrowly avoiding being bitten.

He growled and moved forwards again. I swung the sword, which he ducked under and grabbed my ankle. He tugged and I fell off balance. The sword fell from my hand and he smirked. He moved to attack me once again, but I quickly lifted my foot and slammed it right between his legs. It deterred him briefly, but in the time when he was in pain, I grabbed a dagger attached to my shoe and shot up.

I didn't even wait to hear his body hit the floor before I picked up my sword, sheathed it before grabbing my bow. I jumped back onto the ledge of the tower and crouched. Then continued to fire arrows. Eventually, the werewolves noticed that I was attacking them, and they started retaliating. I hide behind a pillar and prepped another arrow. This was strange. They were poorly attacking the castle. I mean, yes, they were able to get in and attack us. They caught us off guard. Then how come none of them were wearing any kind of armour. They were wearing regular clothes. I looked at the werewolf laying on the floor. After I stepped out of hiding and fired two arrows, I ducked over to him.

I quickly looked him over before rolling him over. There was no sign of any weapons either. Part of me wanted to believe that they were just full of rage, and most of them had just been waiting for a chance to kill vampires, not caring that their ambassador was almost killed. That meant that these were hired mercenaries. They were non-pack werewolves. The kind that wouldn't fall back if a few did. They would keep attacking until they were killed since they didn't have any emotional pull to any other werewolves.

What were they planning?

I knew I had to get over to their camp somehow and see their plans. Getting over there was the easy part, getting back was the more difficult part. I could sneak over and hide, but they would sniff me out eventually while over there, and therefore keep me as a prisoner or kill me. Depending on if there was a pack assembling this entire attack or not. I knew I couldn't hide out in the tower the entire time this war raged on. I wasn't doing too much. Half of the time, when I got a clear shot, the werewolf would move or would be killed. More archers would increase the effectiveness of the tower.

Instead of bumming about in the tower, I ran down the stairs and into the fray. I wanted to find a familiar face to fight beside. It would be easier for me to trust someone that way. I also needed someone to watch my back when I brought food to Harriet and Rachel. Clawrk would be my first choice, but I could count on Myles to help if I found him first. I took down a few werewolves with my sword, and when I needed to clear a faraway werewolf from my path. I switched quickly to my bow. Close range, I was able to hit them in the face instead of aim for their chest.

A werewolf howled from the courtyard and a few responded. I could hear his voice from inside, but instead of listening faintly, I found the closest exit to the courtyard, a balcony. The werewolf was standing on the wall separating the castle from the rest of the world. He had a sword attached to his hip, he had a shield attached to his arm. I could tell he wasn't one of the mercenaries. I crouched and hide off to the side so I could listen in on him.

"Fight, my brothers!" he shouted to the werewolves in the court, "Fight for our freedom against the muck beneath our feet! Fight for our rights! Fight so your brothers and sisters, cousins, mothers and fathers can be released from this prison of death! Fight till you find that despicable curd who calls himself a king. Bring him to me conscious! I want him to pay for his crimes in front of all the werewolves of Europe!"

Werewolves shouted back and howled in agreement. My hands clenched the railing before a werewolf was flipped over to the courtyard beside me. A hand wrapped around my arm and I was dragged back inside. "Why aren't you in the tower?" Myles asked closing the balcony door and turning to me. "You'll get yourself killed!"

"I need to do other things than just kill," I snapped back, in no mood for his protective actions, "I need to get to the kitchen, and since you are here. Help me."

"Why are you going to the kitchen? Got the munchies?" he said, I could hear a joking tone on his voice as he pulled me out of the way and brought up his sword. There was a slicing noise and a soft thump. A loud painful howl. I yanked out of sword and rammed it through the other werewolf's stomach before kicking him off.

"If I had the munchies I wouldn't be feeding off things in the kitchen," I replied looking up at him. I saw him swallow thickly and I shook my head. "It's for Harriet and Rachel," I retorted and lifted my leg slightly. I pulled the knife out of its spot and threw it at a werewolf sneaking up to us. He chewed on his lip before groaning.

"Fine," he said, pointing his fingers at me, "I'll take you to the kitchen to get food for them, but I want you back up in that tower. It's harder for you to die up there," he said and pushed me towards the stairs. I rose my eyebrow and grabbed my knife out the werewolf before switching to my bow and taking out a werewolf running up the stairs.

"It's pretty hard for me to die when I'm already dead," I commented, as we started down the stairs. Moving painfully slowly to avoid making a mistake and getting injured.

"Let's make this interesting," he said as he lifted me out of the way and grabbed a werewolves arm, swinging him out of a window. He placed me down and lifted up a finger. "One."

"Counting our kills or saves?" I asked pushing an advancing werewolf backwards with my foot before slicing with my sword.

"Kills, I'd win with saves, you have a slight maybe 20-80 chance of winning if it's kills," he responded as we continued onwards to the kitchen. I rolled my eyes and continued fighting. I didn't bother shouting out how many I was killing, just kept a tally in the back of my mind. Honestly, I thought it was stupid, counting how many people we killed. We shouldn't even be killing people, all of this could've been avoided. I knew it could've been. Myles...he wasn't exactly sentimental from what I knew about him so far. He was a soldier, and if he wasn't a werewolf, I knew my father would want him as part of his army.

I shouldn't say he wasn't sentimental. He was protective over his pack and I. If he saw one of his pack about to be stabbed or attacked, he would quickly deflect the blow and safe them. He just didn't care about the people who were dying that were attacking his friends and family. I knew I should feel less for the people who were trying to hurt us, but I couldn't. Most of these werewolves looked poor, and so I gathered that if they were paid mercenaries they were trying to make a living. However, they didn't think it through and were being sent to be slaughtered. There were more enemy bodies scattered amongst the floor than there was allies.

We reached the kitchen, finding it mostly empty. There was a dead body laying face down on the floor, she had probably been trying to grab some food when she was killed. I ordered Myles to watch the door before I grabbed a basket and piled breads, fruits, vegetables, meats, and cheese into the basket. I placed a pitcher of milk in it before sliding it across the counter to Myles. He lifted it with ease and we headed back up the stairs. We got to the trap hallway and Myles started forwards. I grabbed his arm, then lifted an apple from the basket and rolled it across the hallway. Traps sprung slicing the apple. He swallowed thickly before looking at me.

"Why would your father keep the traps on?" he asked nodding towards the hallway. I shook my head and pricked my finger. Wondering if it would unset if it had my blood. I rolled another apple and the traps sprung once more.

"He's probably either trying to keep you guys out here, or trying to protect the unable werewolves from being taken without his knowledge," I muttered staring at the hallway. "We could try the portrait, but there is a chance we might be seen."

"Then we'll have to try to sneak past these traps," he replied as if it was the only logical explanation, I looked up at him before chewing on my lip.

"I'll try," I replied pulling off my weapons and placing them down. He placed the food down and grabbed my arm.

"You? Forgive me, but yes you can move quickly, but do you think you can avoid being slaughtered by ten traps?" he asked pointing down the hallway. I gently pried my arm from his before looking down the hallway.

"I've lived in this house for nearly all my sixteen hundred years of life. I was here when these traps were first placed in," I looked up at him, "I know the triggers, I know what will happen, I've seen people try to get through these before. Excellent thieves tried to get through here, one almost made it to the end, which is where the tricky one is. Once I get past that one," I pointed at the front of the hallway, "I can easily get through the rest."

"Clawrk and Harriet will murder me if they figure out you died because I let you try this," he said grabbing my arm once more, "I don't want you to die, and I sure as hell don't want to be murdered by my pack master and best friend."

"Then don't let me," I shot back and then pointed to the stairs, "Werewolves are at the top of the stairs, they are probably debating on whether or not to come down to see who is down here. When they do," I whispered, "We'll have to attack them, because I'm not letting you fight them by yourself."

He stared at me before rolling his eyes, "You have to do better than that to try to trick me into turning around so you can go on a suicide mission!"

I sighed before taking the basket from him, and kicking him as hard as I could between the legs. Good thing he opted out on wearing armour. He fell to his knees, cursing and clutching down there. I apologized quickly and then turned towards the trap. I backed up to the wall before taking a deep breath and racing forwards.


	16. Trap

**I am going to a funeral on Tuesday, but I'm leaving tomorrow with my family. I won't be back until Wednesday, and I am not sure if I'll feel up to posting a chapter about death and war when I get back. However, I am going to be away all week next week starting on Monday. I'll be gone for five days. So, to make up for it, I'll be putting out the chapters like normal until Sunday, and then on Sunday, if I have any more chapters (Like if this story isn't already finished, there isn't too much more for what I had planned) I will post all of the chapters excluding the prologue on Sunday. The prologue will be up on the following Saturday (probably).**

**I can't post a chapter of New Blood today since I celebrated Canada Day for most of the day (it's actually July 2nd right now.)**

Myles shouted something at me, but I already stepped into the hallway. No turning back now. Immediately the floor groaned under my weight. I jumped just in time before the floor divided in two and fell into a pit of spikes. Two blades swung out from the walls behind me, nearly slicing my foot. However, both my feet landed on a safe portion but I had to move quickly. Once the first trap was sprung, the others weren't far behind. Familiar clicks forced me to drop down to my stomach and quickly push myself passed a distance as arrows exploded overhead. I pushed myself up.

Next was a pressure system. Stepping on the floor would cause the walls to press together at an alarmingly speedy rate. I took a deep breath, this one would be hard to sneak past. However, I took a chance. The instant my foot touched the floor I full out ran, I could hear and feel the stone crunching together behind me. At times like this, my heartbeat would've quickened. My palms were sweaty in fear as I slid to a stop before I tumbled into a pit of water. The last of the stonewall slammed closed behind me before opening. I was standing on a ledge about a foot span length, I couldn't step back and I couldn't move forwards.

The moment I fell into the water, I would be encased down there by the floor. I couldn't jump with the ledge so short, no running time and I wasn't strong enough to launch myself that far without backing up. I remembered back to when that one thief had managed to pass this. There had been some kind of way to cross without jumping. I nibbled on my finger until it bled before sliding back and forth across the ledge and let my finger drip into the water. Close to the right side of the hallway, the blood hit something other than water and I quickly stepped on it. Glass. Or something stronger perhaps. I didn't have time to think about it and I raced forwards, however, speeding forwards caused me to stumble and lose my footing. One of my feet dipped into the water and the floor was quickly sliding closed. I yanked it out and quickly made it across before the floor closed.

The moment it did spikes slid out from the ceiling jabbing downwards, just in case someone made it out of the water in time. I completely blanked on the next trap. I even remember this trap when the thief did it, so maybe this was just a paranoia area? I stepped forwards and heard a tiny snap. I quickly jumped back as a large claw like thing swooped down from the ceiling, it caught me in the arm and tore. I let out a curse as I fell to the ground. I quickly collected the food items that dropped and put them back into the basket. My arm wasn't healing and it was stinging like it was on fire. Silver tipped blades, I guessed. That's why this hallway was so dangerous. Every sharp edge was silver. It aimed to make you slow down, if you were escaping and you got caught by the claw, you would be tossed into the water, luckily, I was going in. I was able to activate the water trap and get hit by the claw before the trap reset itself. Lucky for me.

I ignored the pain, it would heal slowly, but it would still heal. I had to think of Harriet and Rachel, not just myself. Instead, I kept an eye out for any other trip wires, pressure stones, or anything else like that. Fear was pumping through my blood as I crept forwards. I noticed a stone slightly more raised than the others and avoided it, that one I knew what would happen. Part of the wall would force out spikes and the wall would come flying around and pin me to the wall.

I turned around quickly, to see if Myles had left or not. Instead of seeing an empty area, I saw him fighting off two werewolves. Shit. Was my lie something true? Or did there just so happen to be two werewolves who heard the traps going off and headed down here. I didn't understand why Myles was fighting with them, he could've lied. With the noises of the blades whipping back and forth behind me and the sound of arrows blasting across the room still, I knew they wouldn't be able to hear my heartbeat. He could've said he sent me down here to see if there were any werewolves enslaved, or vampires down here trying to hide. I would've turned around at the end and shouted down that I couldn't find any switches or anything to deactivate the traps. We could've tricked them into walking into the hallway thinking it had to be manually reset, and then they would've been killed easily. Instead he probably didn't think.

However, I couldn't concentrate on him right now. He would be fine. Those werewolves weren't armed, and he had weapons. He could easily stab them, or shove them towards the swinging blades and pit in the hallway. I pressed on, seven traps down, three to go. Two of those three, I knew where combined, like the first one was. The next trap I couldn't avoid tripping. I took a step and the slit in the floor caused two pillar like things to raise up. The pillars split in two and the edges were blade like. They started spinning, swinging floor blades.

Very deadly. That would cause a lot of bleeding, making it impossible to pass through the last trap. I had to move quickly. The blades didn't spin excessively fast, allowing me time to weave my way through the blades. It caught me a little close and I quickly jumped so it swung under my feet. However, I fell against the wall and there was a click as a stone under my hand pushed in. I quickly fell to the ground, as tiny darts flew above me. A blade swung and clipped my arm, causing the fabric to catch. It quickly tore, leaving my arm bleeding. I flattened and waited. The blade whipped around above me, and I swallowed thickly.

Think. How am I going to get up? I know how to get past the last trap, but this one was difficult once you had fallen. I could attempt to crawl, but I could get a body part caught on the blade. I could jump up, but I would have to move quickly. I rolled until I was underneath one blade and quickly flipped onto my stomach. I grabbed the basket and pushed it past the last blade before I took a deep breath. I calmed myself down, this wouldn't work unless I was thinking properly.

My eyes focused on the blades as they swung around, and then when one past over my head I reached up and grabbed it. The blades weren't double edged, that would be pointless, and so I could safely grab the edge without injuring myself. It dragged me slightly, but ninety-seven pounds was apparently too much for it. I could hear the trap groaning as it tried to continue to push. I used the advantage and quickly stood up. It started nearly immediately, and I was able to weave my way out and into a safe area where the basket lay.

I made sure my face and head was hidden beneath the cloth before shoving the basket on the floor. It slid out of the hallway, tripping the last trap. Fire shot out from the walls, causing the area to become increasingly warm. I swallowed thickly. The fire clicked out after a few seconds. I ducked into a roll, knowing that the fire aimed upwards slightly. I had less of a chance of getting burnt this way. I felt scorching heat on my legs and back as I rolled. The few werewolves that were still in the servants quarters, old and very young ones, peeked out of their room. One stepped forwards and used a blanket to douse the flames that were burning my clothes.

I stood up and picked up the basket. There was a table in the center of the area and I unloaded more than half of the basket onto the table before lifting the basket. The werewolves looked extremely grateful and separated the food amongst themselves. The elder werewolves gave more food to the younger generation. The man who helped me put out the flames turned to me and touched my shoulder. "Thank you."

I bowed my head, keeping my head turned downwards. I didn't know how these werewolves would react to know that a vampire was helping them. They probably wouldn't eat the food if they knew. Especially if they knew, the Princess of vampires was helping them. I moved over to Harriet's room and knocked on the door. There was no answer, panic flooded through me before I remembered what I had told her. "Harriet," I whispered, "I brought food, open the door." Still no answer. Panic started to rise. "Harriet," I said again knocking on the door. "Listen, there isn't even a heartbeat."

I paused and looked back at the werewolves. They knew I was a vampire, how could they not? I had no pulse. They trusted me, but for what reason? "I'll put the food here, if you don't trust me," I said, "Everyone is safe. Myles and Clawrk are still alive. However...there is something I need to do, and I might not be back for a while."

I heard movement and then scraping as a bed moved from the door. The door opened and Harriet peered out. I let out a relieved sigh and handed her the basket of food. "What do you mean?" she asked as she took the food from me.

"Even though this is the first day of fighting, I know the worst hasn't even come yet," I leaned against the wall. Her eyes widened and I frowned. She placed the food down quickly and grabbed my arm. I hissed and flinched. Ah, right...I had gotten hurt. She turned and told Rachel to grab the food and bring it out. She pushed me into the main room. Using her foot, she pulled a stool over to the table and made me sit down. Rachel placed the food down on the table and Harriet told her to take only what she was hungry for. They had to make the food last for a while.

Harriet asked an older woman to get something as she inspected my injuries. "Myles is an idiot," she murmured as another werewolf brought over a bowl of water and a rag. Harriet thanked him before wetting the rag and washing the blood from my arm, which was still bleeding. "A simple kick to the groin and he's out for the count?"

I didn't reply as a box was set down, she opened it an there were what I gathered as medical supplies. I never need any of those, not since I was a little girl, and back then, there wasn't too much in the medical field. She pulled out a small dark bottle and poured some of the liquid onto a cloth. Everyone in the room scrunched their noses and I turned away from the stench. It was very strong, alcohol. She pressed the rag to my arm and I flinched and tried to pull away. "Calm down," Harriet scolded, "It's just a bit of pain," she added pulling the rag away and placing it to the side. She examined the wound before sighing, "Stitches won't do anything, and it's a scrape not a cut. You'll have to make do with just a bandage," she explained as she pushed my sleeve over my arm and gently wrapped my arm up.

She examined the rest of my body, before saying that I was good. The man who had doused the fires out stepped forwards. "You aren't going through there? Are you?" he asked pointing through the hallway. I nodded. "There is another way out of here." I frowned looking at him. "It leads to the underground tunnels."

"I have to go back through there, my weapons are out there," I explained looking at him. "However, when I come back next time, I'll probably need to know where the entrance is so I can avoid doing that again."

"It's on this side of the castle, the closet entrance is by the kitchen, ya'know?" he said, I shook my head. The only two I knew was the council room and the area where Gory and the wives slept. The man nodded to the woman who fetched the medical supplies. The woman took the box out and returned with a scroll. They unrolled it, showing a very quickly scribbled map of the tunnels. There were small symbols at various dead ends. He pointed to one, similar to a paw print, "This is where we are, and this," the dragged his finger towards an apple, "Is the kitchen. It's just two lefts and then a right and another left to get from the kitchen here. The kitchen entrance is in the cellar where they keep the food, it's under a crate, so it's difficult to get out, but easy to get in."

I quickly studied the map, and then tapped a symbol with my finger and looked up at him. A stake. "Oh..." he muttered looking at it, "That's where Dracula sleeps."

"So you drew a stake," I muttered looking at him and shaking my head. I didn't have time to talk to him about equality, I had to get back out there. I turned to the hallway and called quietly down the hallway to Myles, telling him to bring my stuff to the kitchen cellar. He gave a thumbs up before lifting my stuff and running off.

"What about weapons?" Harriet asked me as the old man showed me over to where a ladder was hidden underneath a table. I slid under and looked up at Harriet.

"I don't have a pulse, and the stench down there will be able to mask my scent, I can hear enemy pulses before they even know I was there. If I do get caught in a tight spot, I do have my daggers still, and I'm small enough to move with agility," I replied looking up at her, "I'll be fine, get Rachel back into the room, and keep your promise."

"You keep yours," Harriet said as I started down the ladder.


	17. Surprise

The first month flew past. Everything was happening so fast. The werewolves down in the servants quarters were being kept fed most of the time, and they were all safe. My father had managed to push a majority of the werewolves out of the castle, and was getting more archers to keep them in the forest, away from the edge of the castle. I barely got to see Clawrk and Myles during that month, but whenever we did see each other, it was brief conversation. Updates and then a quick good luck before departing. Reports from other castles weren't positive, but weren't negative either. There wasn't any deaths of anymore-council members, and Sif and her mate had arrived during the night. The two of them were immediately filled in with what was happening and put to work helping defending the castle.

The second month sprung on us. Along with it, a full moon. The werewolves had foolishly did their first attack after a full moon, allowing us an advantage at the time. However, when the full moon came up, the werewolves were stronger, faster, and more animalistic. The entire week was incredibly difficult for everyone in the castle. Werewolves took longer to kill, more effort was put into each kill. Each day I would become more and more exhausted and weak. I kept pushing on. For my friends and family. I knew I would have to feed soon, but I was stubborn.

Eventually I was so exhausted I collapsed in the underground passageway when bringing the others food. Clawrk, who had been watching my back, carried me the rest of the way and laid me down and left me there. Harriet was fiercely protective over Rachel and I, that she didn't allow anyone into the room the entire time I was out. Or so Rachel had told me. When I came too, I had to feed. That meant I had to go out there, and find a victim to feed on. An extremely difficult task during a full moon. I soon succeeded, and drained an unsuspecting werewolf. Of course, I was disgusted with myself after this, but reasoned he would've tried to kill me.

Every time I went to the tower to view how the situation was, my eyes went to the camp outside of the castle. All I could see was the ever-present fire, and werewolves moving about with weapons every so often. I knew I would have to communicate with my father somehow that there were werewolves out there. Well prepared werewolves. Not the kind that had been attacking our castle for the last month. Bram would be the best way, if I somehow got the message across to him, then he would check it out himself before telling my father.

That would mean staying up during the day. However, my friends didn't think it was such a good idea. If my father caught me, I would be thrown into my coffin and sealed in there for the entire war. Meaning a full attack could be unleashed and my father could be unprepared. I knew he was unaware, Clawrk overheard a lot of their plans, and my father sounded confident that we were winning.

I couldn't just let my father be ignorant.

So, three weeks into the second month, I snuck out during the day. No vampires paid any mind to me, just fought the werewolves that didn't have a sword with my family's crest on it. I was able to sneak around, attempting to find Bram. However, with all the silver armour on, it was nearly impossible. It was frustrating, I wondered up and down the stairs and all over the castle. Fighting until my arms ached, and I couldn't find him. Terror started to build, what if he had died? Wouldn't I have gotten the message from Clawrk?

I went back to the room he was staying in and walked in. There were torn sheets and various broken furniture pieces. I closed the door behind me before taking out a dagger, in case there was still an enemy in here. The washroom door was opened slightly and I crept over. I readjusted my grip on my dagger before using my foot to push the door open. It was dark and my eyes quickly readjusted. Instead of a werewolf, I saw a vampire. My stance dropped and I cursed.

"Gory," I hissed quietly, "What are you doing here?"

She jumped up, terror in her eyes. "Draculaura?" she gasped before hugging me, "I couldn't fall asleep, so I snuck out, I can't spend however long this war will rage on in that...coffin! Why do you get to fight?"

"Gory, you are young, you don't know anything about fighting! You should be somewhere safe!" I scolded hugging her back before pulling away and grabbing her shoulder, "What if something happens to you? Bram would be devastated! You were just turned, after all! He saved you from death, if he figures that it was all for nought, he would have to go through life knowing that he just put you through grief!"

"Bram knows!" she replied as I tried to pull her out of the bathroom, I stopped and looked at her. My eyebrows coming together. "When I snuck out, a werewolf attempted to take me, I don't know why, but then Bram appeared and saved me. He said something about knowing I was in danger and came to find me. He then brought me here and protected me against other werewolves."

"How long has he known?" I demanded looking at her, he was being reckless, and he should've immediately forced her to go back into the coffin. She didn't know enough about protecting herself. Unless she really was a witch, but I doubted it. Otherwise, she would've done some magic.

"For about a month," she mumbled looking at the ground, "Don't get mad at him, please!"

"I'm not," I replied putting my dagger away, "I'm disappointed that he's so reckless, I thought different of him."

"Oh, that's even worse," she looked at me and grasped my hands, "Please, if you are going to be disappointed at anyone, be disappointed at me! I was the one who snuck out!"

I shook my head, "Let's focus on this another time," I replied pulling my hands away, "You need to be somewhere safe, where you can still do some good, but you won't be in danger. However, does Bram come back here before he goes to sleep?"

"Yes, he sneaks here and we go and hide in the secret area for the day," she replied, giving no hints as to where the secret area was. Smart girl. I nodded and told her what I needed her to tell him. Then I made sure she promised not to tell him that I was here, in case he told my father. Then we would both be in trouble, because Bram didn't have direct contact with me, and she was the in-between. That meant, he would throw her in a coffin as well.

"Also tell him from now on, you will be in a different area, which you know is safer. There are ways to meet up, but say that for now, he should focus primarily on fighting and keeping himself alive," I rubbed her arms and nodded, "I'll tell you where tomorrow, just stay here and I'll come get you. Alright?"

"Okay, tell Bram that first message and that I'm going to be in a safer place," she replied, looking shaking up. I knew she didn't want to leave, but I knew she would be more help elsewhere. Since she didn't want to be asleep for the rest of the war. That could take centuries or millennium to finish if the Monster Council turned a blind eye on all of this. I prayed that they wouldn't, or else everything would spiral out of control.

Gory ran back to where she was hiding and I slipped out once more. Tomorrow I would bring her to the servants' quarters. From what I knew about Gory was that she wasn't rich and didn't have servants. That meant she was use to helping menial tasks, so she would be incredibly helpful down there. Helping take care of the wounded werewolves that were privy to the secret passage, helping out the elderly and the children. Helping Harriet out with all of it. She was the only teenage werewolf there, all the other ones were in their five hundreds or six hundreds, or in their fives and sixes.

My father would get the message, and I knew he would figure out some way to eradicate the camp before they attempted to eradicate us.


	18. Unfortunate

Gory was settling in with the werewolves' fine. She was at first very wary about being down there with them, but after she saw how warmly they welcomed her and how they were very kind to each other, she relaxed. Well, as much as she could. They let her take one room to call her own during her time there. Of course, since she slept during the day, and not the night, and there was no way to tell what the time was, the werewolves were able to trick her into staying up during the day. Harriet taught her how to stitch a wound shut, after alcohol was heavy in the air so she didn't have any temptation to drain the person. I worked out a deal with the werewolves that were down there, Gory had too feed, she didn't have self-control and she didn't exactly have any qualms. So I told them, that if her eyes started to go black, she was to go into the underground passage, where there were enemy werewolves trying to find a way in or out, so she could feed.

Once she was settled, I told her I could only come once every few days, which she got antsy about. However, I had faith in her ability to stay calm and helpful while I was away. If not, then I would have to figure out a way for her to sleep in the coffin for the rest of the war.

Then I went back into the rush of things. First thing for that day, I wanted to go and check the reports. That meant I had to go where the vampires were sleeping, that also meant I was in danger of being discovered. However, now that I didn't have a pulse, I would be able to get in there and take the reports without waking up anyone. Vampires were heavy sleepers. I ran out of arrows as I made my way over, and had to resort to close combat. The werewolves were nearing the end of the full moon, and weren't as strong and didn't have any heightened senses. That made it tons easier to take them out in close combat.

Although, I did get a couple of scratches and tears in my shirt from where they grabbed. My skin healed quickly, and the thought was out of my mind immediately.

The area where the vampires slept was void of any werewolves. Wolfsbane was planted in pots along the hallway, and just the scent kept the werewolves away. I let my guard down once I got inside the scent area. If a werewolf walked in here and tried to sneak up on me, I would be able to hear his heart beat, and if I grabbed a wolfsbane flower and touched it to the werewolf's skin. The werewolf would start hallucinating and then die shortly after. That was also the reason Rachel was forbidden to come to this area, she would get the same effects if she touched the flowers. She wouldn`t die, but she would become very sick. If she picked one and then brought it back to the servants` quarter, then the werewolves would slowly die out.

I crept along the hallway and over to a set of doors near the end. The door handles were wrapped in the wolfsbane, making doubly sure that no werewolf could get into the next area. I opened the door, revealing a large area with a set of three thrones at one end. A large table was set in the middle. Four doors led off into separate areas. One was to the planning area, where the reports would be. Another was to a small armoury just in case the vampires found themselves short a few arrows or missing a dagger or their sword had broken on their way up here and couldn't risk getting another one at the moment. The one to the right, closest to the entrance, went off to where all the vampires were sleeping. The final one was for poisons. It was were poisons were mixed up and prepared for any upcoming battle. I had to check in there after I went and read the reports.

Quietly, I closed the door and walked over to the desk that a map was spread across. There were carved stones representing different Noblemen and Noblewomen's castles. Three were knocked over. Representing Sif and Vasile's fallen castles. I lifted one piece up and turned it over in my hands. Bram's castle.

Shock rocketed through my body. I stopped breathing and stared at the piece. Bram's castle fell? I placed the piece back down and grabbed the recent reports. I ignored the ones from the other castles. I couldn't care less. My fingers stopped flipping when I saw Liam's familiar scribbled writing. Part of me was relieved that he was writing this that meant he was alive. If he hadn't been, then someone else would've written it.

_Dracula,_

_I deeply regret having to write this report to you. However, recent events have forced me to sit at my desk and write this out to you as quickly as possible. My last report stated the werewolves seemed to have drawn away from our castle as if they had orders to cease their actions on our castle. Unfortunately, they were just waiting until the full moon. Just after we woke up, we realized the werewolves had stormed our castle during the night and released the werewolves. Who retaliated against us. Currently we have retreated to my office where wolfsbane has kept the werewolves out of the room temporarily. They will find a way in shortly after I finish this letter I am afraid._

_You can count this castle as fallen._

_We are not sure if we will be killed like Vasile or if they will have a brain and know that, we are the second largest vampire family. If they do have a brain, I fear for my wife. We will be tortured for our secrets that much is for certain. Then killed off. We managed to let a few of our vampire consorts escape, but we were unable too._

_If my son is still alive, tell him that he is officially the new council member for my areas. Tell him that his training has prepared him and once this war is over and the werewolves have become subdued once more, that he will have to repair the castle to its former glory._

_One last thing, not in a businesslike manner, I know this is highly unorthodox, but tell my son that we care about him. Glory and him have our blessing._

_With deepest regrets,_

_Liam Devein._

I stared at the paper and lowered myself to the chair. He...is dead? I couldn't believe it. Tears welled up in my eyes. He wasn't exactly close to me, but I still felt as if he was a very good friend. Two months ago, he seemed so full of life and now...I didn't know. I knew I couldn't allow myself to think he was dead, but even if he was tortured, he wouldn't be kept alive. There was no way. My father wouldn't have delivered the message to Bram. The one that mattered. The caring part. Or the blessing. He would've had the council members and him in a room. Read the letter and then knocked down the stone for Bram's family. Who then probably asked my father if his father was alive. Chances are my father would've said yes.

I placed the paper back down and dried my eyes quickly. I had to tell Gory about this the next time I went down there. For now, I wanted to go into the poison area and see if they were planning anything. Before I stood up, I noticed a map of the grounds pinned to the wall. I walked over and saw black ink circling an area. I pressed my fingers against the tower and dragged my finger towards the ink circle. The camp.

My father got the message that meant! Part of me wanted to believe that after my father took out that camp, the war would be over. I was not naive as much as I wanted to be. All that meant was that one camp would be destroyed. Causing a slight dent in the werewolves plan. We would have to figure out where the werewolves were mainly situated before we could eradicate the werewolves trying to kill us.

However, I hoped that the council would step before us and force the werewolves and vampires to sign a peace treaty that would last a long time. Like what happened back during the first Monster War. The council was formed by all the major races signing a everlasting peace treaty. However, since the werewolves and vampires were feuding, the peace treaty was broken and they had to reform another one, and have a separate one for the vampires.

Politics was exhausting.


	19. Goodbye

I crept into the area where they mixed poisons and saw wolfsbane laying beside a pot filled with liquid. I leant down and sniffed the liquid. It smelt faintly of wolfsbane. I looked around and saw a sheathed blade sitting on the table. I lifted it up and looked at it. When I pulled the blade out, the length of the silver was coated with liquid. I smelt that, and knew it was the same poison. When I pushed it back in, there was the sound of water sloshing. They had poured the mixture into the sheath, so whenever someone pulled the blade out, a fresh coat of wolfsbane poison would be formed around it.

A plan started to formulate in my mind. I dipped my daggers into the liquid and then did the same with my arrows. Then I poured some of the liquid into my sheath and headed back out. I couldn't visit the servants'' quarters with my weapons until the poison was completely removed. I didn't intend to use it against any of the werewolves. They would be extremely uncomfortable around me if they smelt the deadly poison. That was the exact reason no werewolf had ventured down the hallway towards the throne room. It didn't make them physically sick like garlic did for vampires, but it had the same properties. If a vampire ate garlic, they would die. If a werewolf ate wolfsbane, they would die. However, the two were completely different deaths. Only an entire clove of garlic could kill a vampire, any other amount would make them sick and irritable. Even the smallest amount of wolfsbane causes werewolves to die.

I paused as I opened the door. The werewolves. What were they planning? They were sending in a bunch of werewolves, who were unprepared. They seemed to have a constant flow of werewolves coming into the castle. Wearing us down. For what? They could be doing anything. Planning on poisoning us somehow. Using sunlight to their advantage. Anything.

I shook my head. I couldn't focus on that. I needed to concentrate on protecting my friends as well as family. Moving on.

Before I left the throne room, I walked over to the three thrones that sat at the end of the room. One was my father's now. I would sit on the right side from now on, and whenever I had a child, they would sit on the left. Alternatively, if my father had another child. They would sit on the left. I noticed there was a letter on my throne. I picked it up and looked at the writing. Valentine. My heart squeezed and I closed my eyes. I had to ignore this. I placed the letter back down. No matter what, my father couldn't know I was up here. That meant I had to ignore this letter, no matter how badly I wanted to read it. To read his familiar handwriting.

Before the urge to read it overwhelmed me, I raced outside into the hallway and back into fighting. He had no idea what was happening. I could die and he wouldn't know until the war ended and the vampires and werewolves were allowed back over to Europe.

I bumped into Clawrk and he quickly pulled me into a separate room and closed the door. "Why do you smell like that godforsaken plant?" he asked crinkling his nose and stepping away from me.

"I went to the throne room; there is wolfsbane all over that place. Oh, and by the way don't touch any of my weapons," I replied stepping away from him. I didn't want him to get poisoned. If he touched the wolfsbane, he would get sick and quickly. Clawrk eyed me warily and placed the tip of his sword on the ground.

"What did you find out?" he asked me with a lot of authority in his tone.

"Another castle was taking out, my father is planning on using wolfsbane to have the werewolves flee this place, and they are going to be eradicating the camp outside the castle soon," I reported quickly. He looked away and nodded. I could tell he was thinking deeply.

"That won't end the war," he sighed looking at me, "All that'll do is piss of the werewolves more, increase the duration of the war. If we want this war to end, you're father will have to go and sign a treaty with the werewolves using the Monster Council."

"Treaties mean nothing," I replied sighing, "There was a treaty before, and look where that got us!" I closed my eyes and took a deep breath. "I don't think this war will come out with both on top. There will be one winner."

"We can't let that happen," Clawrk replied shaking his head, "I don't want any more werewolves to die, I don't want the werewolves to be forced into slavery again, and I don't want to have to worry about my friends dying if I don't fight!"

"I don't want the werewolves to be forced into slavery, I don't want my father to be killed, I don't want to have to worry about you guys dying because of a stupid decision!" I clamped my eyes shut and leaned against the wall. "You have to tell the pack to leave."

"What?" Clawrk snapped, his sword fell to the ground and I looked at him. He stepped forwards, "If we leave you guys will be slaughtered!"

"Which will stop the war," I snapped back at him, "My father will see that everything he has ever worked to protect is threatened and he will surrender!" I straightened and pointed at the window. "I don't want our two races to be at war! I don't want to fight! Tell your pack to leave."

"I won't do that," he replied looking at me. "I can't do that! I am not abandoning you! You are my friend! You are the kindest vampire I have ever met! Do you think I would just let you be in danger?"

"Clawrk," I sighed, shaking my head. "I think of you like a big brother, I doubt that'll ever change."

"You are like my little sister, which is why I won't let you put yourself in danger!" Clawrk growled taking off his helmet completely and tossing it to the side. It clattered against the floor. His golden eyes darkened. "I've known you for all my life! I would never let someone who's been so kind to me just die!"

"A big brother eventually has to let his younger sister make her own choices and decisions. A pack leader has to think of the safety of his pack before he thinks of the safety of an outsider," I walked over to his helmet and lifted it up, handing it back to him. "I'll be alright." I whispered, "Trust me."

"I can't..." Clawrk muttered pushing the helmet away from him, "I would never forgive myself. Harriet would never forgive me, Rachel would never forgive me."

"Clawrk," I spoke firmly this time, "You need to get Rachel and Harriet out of here!" I glared at him, playing the guilty card. I didn't want to do this to him, but I had to. "If they ever get hurt in anyway, I won't forgive you. If anything happens to Rachel, Harriet will never forgive you if she knows that there was a way you could've saved her."

Clawrk stared at me, his mouth opened slightly and he took the helmet from me. "I feel like I'm giving up."

"You aren't, because you should be fighting me, not being my friend," I replied, then picked his sword up and gave it back to him. "Leave during the night, have everyone leave. My father may not forgive you ever, but I will bear his anger. If it comes down to it..." I trailed off and swallowed thickly. "I will take up my rightful position as Queen."

Clawrk gripped my shoulder and stared at me through his helmet. I reached out and touched his shoulder as well. He squeezed my shoulder before turning and opening the door. "I hope you are extremely sure about this," he said looking back at me. "If this doesn't work out the way you want..."

"Nothing ever works out perfectly," I said with a sad smile, "Everything works out one way or another."

He closed the door behind him and I bit my lip. The last time I would ever see him. I would never see Rachel again. I wouldn't ever see Harriet again. I wrapped my arms around myself and clamped my eyes shut. I regretted saying it, but I knew it was the best. It was nice to know that they were there for more. They were the greatest friends I had ever had. My legs gave out and I fell to my knees. I shook my head and let out a choked sob.


	20. Discovery

Clawrk climbed into servants' quarters and took off his helmet. Harriet looked up from where she was sewing a werewolves arm shut and she let out a shuddering sigh of relief. She snapped the thread and quickly washed the cut with alcohol before she got up and walked over to Clawrk. She kissed him and pulled away. When she looked at his face, she frowned and then terror flashed over her face. Clawrk knew that his mate would hate him for what he was about to say.

"We are not going to fight for the vampires any longer," he said to the few werewolves standing in the area. Harriet stepped away from Clawrk and looked at him. The werewolves in the room frowned and moved closer to him.

"Did something happen?" one of the werewolves asked, his eyebrows coming together, "Before you were incredibly stubborn about fighting for them."

"Is Draculaura...?" Harriet trailed off, and he could see tears blossoming in her eyes. He stepped forwards and shaking his head. He started to take off his armour.

"She's not dead," he replied as he pulled off his chest plate. "I'm thinking about the pack. If we continue to fight for the vampires, then we will eventually dwindle and it is all a useless struggle. We will leave the vampires and go live somewhere else. I do not want this pack to be influenced by the war."

"We already are," one of the woman spoke up looking at him and shaking her head, "Many of our friends and family members have already died. If Draculaura is still alive, then I say we stay and fight for the bastard who she calls dad."

Clawrk frowned and stared at the woman. He didn't realize that Draculaura had made friends with the other werewolves in the short months that the war had been started. Almost four months now. Two months since the attack on the castle. Harriet shook her head and sat down. "I'm staying here," she spoke up stubbornly. "I will not abandon our friend. She has done so much for us!"

"She'll be fine, and you know it! Draculaura is excellent at getting out of situations," he replied dropping to his knees in front of her and looking up at her. She glared down at him.

"How do you know?" Harriet growled, "I am not about to leave, and you cannot make me!"

There was a noise as Myles climbed into the room and looked at everyone. Frowning. "Hey, Harriet, can you patch me up?" he asked pointing to where blood was seeping out of his shirt. She nodded and waved him over. She cleaned his wound rather roughly; he flinched and stared at Clawrk. "What did you say to her?"

"He's abandoning Draculaura," she growled as she stared to stitch him back up. Myles clutched the table and flinched. "As werewolves weakness has no place in us. We shouldn't give in to fatalist-thought, because the friendship we've wrought is stronger than any other!" she stood up and pointed at Clawrk, "I am not leaving."

Clawrk stared at his mate. He knew this would happen. However, he also knew that Draculaura had made up her mind. There was no winning right now. He could both piss off his mate, and have everyone safe. On the other hand, piss off his friend and everyone be in danger. He clamped his eyes shut, before continuing to take off his armour. He knew that Harriet would eventually forgive him, and it physically hurt him to go against what she wanted. He wanted to cave to what she wanted. However, he knew that she would be in danger if they continued. The werewolves would take her away if they found her down here. If the vampires won, they would kill anyone who was part of the rebellion, including her if she was with them.

Everyone watched as he placed down the last piece of his armour. Harriet clenched her fists and sat down on a chair. "So this is it. We are just giving up?" Clawrk didn't reply to her as she looked at him. She swallowed thickly and stood up. "I wanted something better than this," she whispered avoiding looking at him. "I wanted so much more than a war we were meant to lose," she shook her head and looked at his armour.

"We won't lose this war," Myles replied for Clawrk and leaned against the table, flinching at the pain his wound gave him.

"Yes, we will," she said with a sad laugh, "This is a two sided war, with us stuck in the middle. No matter what we lose," she looked at him. "We don't want our brothers and sisters to die, but we don't want Draculaura to die. You can bet that will happen if the werewolves win."

Myles looked away from Harriet and Clawrk let out a sigh. Shaking his head. "Draculaura will do anything to make sure the war ends positively," he looked at his mate and friends, "Even go so far as kill her father if needs be."

"No!" Harriet said shaking her head, "She cannot! That will weigh on her heart so heavily! You know it! Even if she's fully turned now, she was once part human! She has the emotions of a human! Not a dead heart of a vampire!"

"I know, but do you think I can stop her from what she thinks is best for everyone?" Clawrk replied trying to speak as softly as he could. Harriet shook her head and buried her head in her hands and growled. "I can't stop her! I can't protect her anymore!"

"Clawrk! Listen to yourself! You are giving in!" Harriet snapped at him and grabbed his shoulders, "Stop being so weak! You believe in equality between werewolves and vampires! So why aren't you fighting alongside a vampire and showing the other werewolves that you don't care about their social structures!"

"You know why," Clawrk replied looking at Harriet. Her grip loosened and she closed her eyes. She shook her head and let go. The other werewolves stayed quiet, they knew there was no way persuading their pack master if even his mate couldn't change his mind. Clawrk felt guilt build in his stomach and he leaned against the table. He hoped that Draculaura was certain in what she wanted. If not, this would be all for not.

He felt like a coward. He felt like he was giving up. He did feel weak. However, the safety of his friends and family exceeded the need to be brave and strong and continue to fight for what he wanted. As his position of pack master, he was obligated to protect the pack. His father died protecting this pack, and Clawrk wasn't about to let his father's death to be for nothing. He was foolishly putting his wants before the safety and Harriet had finally realized that. Clawrk himself didn't care about the fact he was putting his pack in danger until Draculaura had forced him to.

Myles took out his sword and tossed it onto the floor. Startling the other people in the room. Clawrk looked at his friend and then at the wall. "I can't believe I'm saying this, but I agree with him. We must leave or this pack is finished."

Everyone looked at the ground before Harriet spoke up. "We should at least wait a while before we leave; all the other werewolves need to be informed. We need to prepare. That means collecting things to help us survive out there. Or do you plan to just run away tonight?"

"Draculaura wants us to leave then," Clawrk replied looking at his mate, "However, I know that's impossible to even consider. A month is more likely, we'll have to get supplies. Food, weapons, materials. I'll leave you in charge of that. Myles and I will tell the others that we are leaving. Make sure Rachel knows we are leaving."

"I can't go back out for a while, I'll be killed," Myles replied lowering him into a chair. "Give me a day and this will be all healed," he groaned tapping his stomach where the blood had darkened his shirt. Clawrk nodded.

"I think it's best not to tell Rachel until we do leave, that way she won't try to see Draculaura," Harriet murmured looking up at her mate, "If she does, then I fear she may end up being killed by a vampire or werewolf."

Clawrk nodded and pulled his mate in close. He apologized before pressing his nose to hers and closing his eyes. She hugged him back and closed her eyes. Forgiving him. She knew that he was being alpha, and that she wasn't the alpha. She could influence him, but she couldn't make the decisions. That was up to him, and she had to respect him. No matter how much she thought this plan was horrible. She pulled away and went back to helping the others. Clawrk stretched out his arms before looking down the hallway.

"I'm going to check on Rachel," he said to Harriet before heading down the hallway. He sniffed and knew something was off. Immediately he started moving faster and opened the door. His eyes widened and he stepped into the room. Empty. "Rachel?" he called stepping in. Maybe, just maybe she was hiding. His eyes connected to the wall. It was opened slightly, just enough for Rachel to squeeze through. He raced back to the main room. "Rachel's gone."


	21. Broken

**So, I go on vacation tomorrow. So I am going to upload all the chapters (except the one I am working on and the epilogue) right now. So today if you are alerted to me. Expect at least six emails sent to you alerting about my stories! Sorry. I just wanted to put them all out so I don't have to worry about making you guys wait for a bunch of chapters!**

Rachel sat in her room when she heard people talking in the other room. She placed her doll to the side and crawled to the edge of her bed and stood up. After walking over to the door, she cracked it open and peered out. She could slightly see Clawrk taking off his armour and she frowned. She started eavesdropping on the conversation. Her eyes widened. They were leaving Miss? Rachel shut the door and walked over to her bed before sitting down. She couldn't see Miss again? Tears welled up in her eyes and she shook her head. Then jumped back up and looked at the wall. Clawrk or Miss always opened the wall up to reveal a staircase. She grabbed the edge of the wall where they usually did and tugged. Her arms were just strong enough to force the wall open inch by inch. Very slowly.

The tones in the other room grew angry and she groaned as she pulled the wall open a few more inches. She heard the voices soften and then a few moments later there were footsteps heading towards the room. They were going to take Rachel away! She grabbed her doll and squeezed through the opening. She had to say goodbye to Miss first! They couldn't leave! As she raced up the steps, she heard the door open to her room. "Rachel?" Clawrk called and she reached the end of the staircase. There was no other noise, no one coming up the stairs. She found the wall and slowly discovered how to open it.

Once she did, terror ran through her as she looked at all the men running around. Blood littered the walls and floor. She knew that there was something bad going on, from all the weapons being created and the scary man telling her to stay in her room during the day. She didn't know that people were being killed. Clutching the doll, she shied back into the wall and stared out into the hallway. Maybe she should go back, apologize to Clawrk and Harriet. They were kind; she shouldn't be running away and scaring them! They must've known this was happening, and that was why they wanted to leave.

What about Miss! They had to take her with them! Why were they leaving her? Was she in trouble! If so, why weren't they helping her? Rachel stepped out of her hiding spot and ran. The library! That was where Miss would be! That's where Miss always went. People were busy defending themselves and killing others, that they didn't even notice the small girl running past them. She reached the big double wooden doors and pushed one open. It was cold in this room. It was night time out. That meant Miss wasn't awake! Rachel quickly stepped into the room and shut the door.

When she looked around, she saw the window was broken. She crept over to it and got to her knees and peered over. There was shards of glass and they pressed into the palms of her hands. She cried out and quickly stood up. After going over to the fireplace she picked out the glass shards. Tears streaming down her face. Why wasn't anyone there? Whenever she hurt herself, there was always someone around to pick her back up and care for her. Harriet always kissed her boo-boo's better and sang to her. Miss would always clean her up and give her a treat.

Being alone was scary when she was hurt. Rachel hiccupped and pulled her doll close to her as she cried. Everything was so scary. Where was everyone?

A bang on the door caused her to squeak and quickly hide under the couch. She pulled her doll tightly to her chest and stared at the door. It didn't open, but her heart didn't slow down it's quick beating. Terror was flooding through her. No matter what she had to find Miss!

After a few minutes, the door opened and she held her breath. Praying that the person wouldn't find her. The door closed but the person was still in the room. "Rachel?" a soft voice called and Rachel pulled herself out from underneath the couch and ran to Harriet. She threw her arms around the older girl's waist. "Shh," Harriet whispered bending down and wiping her eyes from tears.

"I'm sorry!" Rachel cried hugging Harriet again. Harriet sniffed before pulling away and taking Rachel's hands gently. When she saw the blood, she gasped and kissed the palms of her hand and used her skirt to wipe the blood away from her cuts. "I wanted to see Miss," Rachel hiccupped, "I didn't know everything was so scary."

"It's okay, Hun," Harriet murmured standing up and stroking Rachel's head, "We have to get back now."

"What about Miss!" Rachel asked, staring up at her mother-like figure. "We have to say goodbye!"

"We can't, you'll be in danger," Harriet replied picking Rachel up and heading for the door. Rachel shook her head vigorously.

"I can't leave without Miss!" Rachel squirmed in Harriet's arms. "Let me down! I need to say goodbye to her!"

"No, this is for your own good," Harriet said firmly, but her face showed it pained her to cause Rachel so much sadness. Rachel struggled so hard as Harriet reached the door that Harriet let go of her by accident. Rachel caught herself before racing away from Harriet. "Get back here, please!"

There was a noise outside the door and Harriet placed her finger to her mouth and gave Rachel a begging look. Rachel clamped her mouth together and shield against the wall. Fear ripping through her body. Harriet backed away from the door. Unfortunately, the door burst open and a man saw Harriet. He started forwards and Harriet backed up quickly. Glaring at the man. She pushed a chair in between him and he stopped. "What is a pretty girl like you doing in a war?" he asked straightening up, trying to intimidate her.

"Oh, I'm in a war?" she asked sarcastically, "I thought this was a party!" she glared at the man, "Don't you have some vampires to be trying to kill?"

"Shouldn't you be killing them as well? Or are you one of those stupid werewolves who think that vampires should get the same level as respect as werewolves do?" the man asked stepping around the chair. Harriet backed up, wanting to keep the man as far away as possible. Rachel slid to the ground and whimpered. She didn't want Harriet to be hurt. Though she knew if she spoke up, Harriet would be hurt and the man would come after her!

The man grabbed Harriet's arm and she punched him across the face. He cursed and she quickly pulled her arm out of his grip and moved away from him. The man stopped toying around and growled. "You shouldn't have done that," he growled moving forwards and grabbing both of her arms and forcing her against the book cause. Several books fell and hit the ground around them. One hit Harriet's arm and she grunted in pain. She growled at the man. Her eyes darkening. Rachel jumped up and ran over to the man. She lifted up a book and threw it at him. He turned and growled at her. "Get lost, brat!"

There was a whiz and then the man shout out in pain and arched his back letting go of Harriet. She pushed him away and he fell off balance and landed on the floor. He growled and his face went blue before his eyes rolled back and he laid still. Harriet grabbed Rachel and pulled her close. Rachel shuddered in fright before looking at the door. A dark figure closed the door before revealing itself. "Miss!" Rachel cried out running to her and hugging her. Miss pulled away and stared at her.

"What are you doing out!" she cried, horror in her face. "Get back! What if you are killed! Harriet, get her back there!"

"Miss!" Rachel whimpered, "I wanted to say goodbye! They are going to leave you!"

"I know, Rachel," Miss murmured before pushing her towards Harriet. "You have to live. You are so young still. Staying here, you will die."

Harriet lifted Rachel up and looked at Miss. "You know, and you are accepting this?" Harriet asked her as she replaced the hood and facemask.

"I told him too, I cannot allow you guys to be in danger," Miss whispered shaking her head before opening the door. "Get back to the safe area, before something happens. Please."

Harriet curtseyed before kissing Miss' cheek. Rachel grabbed Miss' arm before kissing her cheek as well and hugging her. Miss hugged back tightly before kissing her head. "I'll miss you, Rachel, so much," she whispered, "I love you."

"I love Miss too!" Rachel cried as Harriet moved quickly through the door. Rachel stared over Harriet's shoulder as Miss left the room and waved at them as they ran way. She leaned her head against Harriet's shoulder sadly and watched as Miss got further and further away. Then Rachel noticed something. A man was creeping up behind Miss. Rachel immediately squirmed out of Harriet's grasp and started running back towards Miss. "Look out!" she screamed.

Miss turned around and quickly jumped out of the way, as the man moved to grab her. Rachel watched as Miss quickly stabbed the man and he fell. Miss put the blade away, and Rachel continued to run towards Miss. She saw Clawrk running up behind Miss, but he brushed past her, he was running towards Rachel.

Clawrk's eyes widened and then darkened. He seemed to be running faster and Rachel looked around. A man was running behind her and she screamed. Running faster towards Clawrk. Miss screamed out to Clawrk and pulled out her bow. Harriet called Rachel's name as the small girl raced towards Clawrk.

Just as Miss let her fingers release the bow string. Something slammed into Rachel's back and Clawrk howled. Miss let out a scream and Rachel tripped and fell to ground. A few seconds later, the man fell to the ground as well. An arrow sticking out of his head.


	22. Pact

I stared at Rachel. Then my fingers slipped from the bow and I stepped forwards. Harriet fell to her knees and I started moving faster. This couldn't happen! Clawrk fell down beside Rachel and removed the dagger from her back. I ran and then slid onto my knees beside Rachel. Tears flowing from my eyes. Clawrk gently rolled her over. Her eyes were wide and blood was dripping out of her mouth. My stomach clenched painfully and my fingers reached out, shakingly and closed her eyes. Harriet sobbed before half-crawling, half-walking over to us. I swallowed thickly. My body not processing that she was dead.

I bit my lip hard enough it bled and then tears started to form. She was dead. She...was...dead. I couldn't believe it! She shouldn't be dead! She was so young! If anyone should be dead it was me! I should've released my arrow sooner! I should've saved her. Why was I so stupid! I clenched my fists together and shook my head. Clawrk pulled Harriet against his chest and she continued to sob. I punched the ground. Rage boiled through me. My teeth extended. I looked up at Clawrk and his eyebrows came together. I could see his arms tighten slightly around Harriet. I could hear his heartbeat quicken and I stood up.

After a few seconds my father appeared nearly out of thin air near me. I turned to him and his eyebrows pulled together. Rage on his face. "What are you doing out here!" he hissed, I glared at him. He frowned and the anger seemed to melt into confusion. I wanted to grab his shirt, but that was pretty impossible when he wore armour. I settled for punching him across the face. He backed up. Looking extremely confused. "Draculaura?"

"She's dead," I hissed pointing at Rachel, "Because your obssesive need for power!"

"I didn't kill her," he replied, with a hostile tone. "So get back to your coffin before I take some drastic measures to get you there."

"If it wasn't for you thinking it was best for werewolves to be all killed, this wouldn't have happened! No one would be dead! Her blood is on your hands!" I rose my voice and pointed at him. Tears started to roll down my cheeks. "If it wasn't for your lack of emotions Rachel wouldn't be dead. Liam wouldn't be dead. Vasile wouldn't be dead. If it wasn't because of your complete idoiticy, none of this would've happened!"

"You are right! I have no emotions! Not all of us were born half human! Not all of us have emotions!" my father growled grabbing my shoulders, "The werewolves tried to kill us once, I won't allow them to do it again."

"So you think it's okay to kill them all off? Even Mum wouldn't stoop so low!" I snapped back. Before my brain could process what I had said, a hand wrapped around my throat. Pressure increased to the point where it was almost imbearable. I clawed at my fathers arm as he glared at me. I heard growls behind me and my father's eyes shot over to the werewolves. He lifted me off the ground and I couldn't breathe anymore. I clawed at my fathers arm even more, trying to get him to release me. He slammed me into the wall and hissed. Pain bolossomed in my back and I saw Harriet and Clawrk standing up. Their caramel eyes incredibly dark.

"Never compare me to that dispicable woman!" my father roared at me and beared his fangs. "I should kill you right now!"

"You..." I gasped out clamping my nails into his arm until it bled. "Would kill..." I clamped my eyes shut as I gathered more air to speak, "Your own?"

"I've done it before," my father growled pulling his sword out. I stared at him, half in fright and half in rage. The tip of the sword touched my stomach and I glared at him. Daring him to do it. After a moment he let go and I fell to the floor. I coughed and grasped my throat. Coughing and choking as my body attempted to get air back into it. "However, I have bigger problems than you. If you aren't back in that coffin within the next fifteen minutes, I will come to find you."

Clawrk grabbed my fathers arm and yanked him away from me and pushed him away. "The werewolves no longer serve you," he growled at my father, pulling out his own sword, "We thought that we could live in peace with you, Dracula, thought that you showed at least a slight compassion to your daughter. However, now? All you are is a cold, slab of flesh that is better off dead!"

Harriet rushed to my side and touched my back, helping me up. My father stared at Clawrk and narrowed his eyes. He waved it off. "I don't need a bunch of dogs to protect my property."

"You would be dead without us, and you know it! Werewolves are your only hope to survive right now during the day!" Clawrk laughed shaking his head, "Your pride exceedes your brain even during the deadliest of times. You are not fit to be King of anything!" he shoved his blade towards me, "The Princess is more fit to be Queen."

"Then she should come and claim that title," my father said, not looking at me, as if I was lower than a werewolf. Right now, I knew he thought that to be true. I took a deep breath before drawing my sword. My father looked at me, I saw legitamte surprise in his eyes.

"I don't want to kill you," I whispered, clutching the sword tightly in my hand. "However, if its the best for everyone, I will." My father stared at me, as if he was questioning if I would really do it. He swallowed, that surprised me. He was hesitant and almost...afraid. Like he didn't want to actually kill me, and he didn't want himself to die. That meant he thought I was a capable fighter, and that this fight would be fifty-fity. Either one of us could come out on top. "We don't have to fight, if you would just work together with the werewolves to push the enemy out of our walls. Once they are out, we have the means to keep them out!" I replied looking at him and lifting my sword up slightly, "Wolfsbane. Cover the castle walls with this. Have archers with wolfsbane posioned arrows. Keep them away. Until a treaty is formed."

He continued to stare at me, then put his sword away reluctantly and stared at me. "This werewolf was right-"

"Clawrk," he retorted sharply, "I am no longer your servant, I am doing this of my free will. So is the rest of the pack. Don't treat us like dogs, or we leave you and your pathetic followers to your death."

"Fine," my father snapped glaring at Clawrk, "Clawrk was right, you would make a fine Queen. However, I am not about to step down for you to take up the spot."

"I respect that. I have no want to become Queen," I replied putting away my sword as well. He crossed his arms and turned to Clawrk. His eyes were dark and I could tell he was so pissed off that he had to even speak to a werewolf like they were his friend. However, he was doing this for his and everyone's safety.

"You will help me get those foolish dogs out of this castle, and then I will let your pack go free. I want to keep tabs on you, however, so you will be going to America, where you cannot get back over here without a lot of money, deal?" my father asked reluctnatly putting his hand forwards.

"One more thing, you give Rachel a proper burial," Clawrk demanded, staring evenly at my father. He nodded curtly before the two of them shook hands. Clawrk's face immeditatly went into Alpha mode. He turned to me. "Make sure she gets the burial."

"I will," I murmured before Harriet patted me on the shoulder. Neither of them wanted to show too much affection or else my father might figure out that we were best friends, instead of just aqquaintences. "I don't plan to let her go without a burial."

Clawrk nodded before turning towards Harriet. "Find Myles. I'll need you both working to help get all the werewolves to know what is going on. Instead of killing, tell them to try to get them to fall back. Any means possible. Dracula," Clawrk turned towards my father, "You are in charge of the vampires, of course, make sure they are ready with the wolfsbane. But I swear, if you attack one of my pack memebers, the deal is off and we'll come after you armed to the teeth with silver."

My father rose his eyebrow. "I don't go back on my word," he said before looking at Harriet, "I promised my daughter that I wouldn't kill her, and I still haven't."

"You were going to kill her?" Clawrk snapped reaching for his sword. I stepped forwards and gave Clawrk a look.

"Past-tense. We have to focus on the now. Save as many lives as possible," I snapped looking at him, giving an apologetic look. He growled and stepped back before turning back to his mate. He whispered something to her and she nodded softly. Then turned and kissed Rachel on the forehead. I felt tears well up in my eyes and I looked away. Harriet and Clawrk gave Dracula a warning look before Harriet tossed back her head and let out a howl. She turned and sprinted out of the hallway. Clawrk turned towards my father.

"Let's take this threat down."


	23. Affection

New energy surged through the castle. The vampires where appalled when Clawrk entered through the door to the throne room alongside my father. Then the two of them started to plan how everything was going to work out. However, soon the vampires realized that they needed Clawrk, and even though none of them would admit it. They thought Clawrk was an alright person. He was kind and took everyone's opinions to mind. He didn't shoot down an idea given by any vampire, instead, if it really was horrible, he made modifications. My father, however, was much more brutal. If a plan sucked, he would outright say it and not even give Clawrk the chance to give his two cents.

Some vampires went into the garden, filled with wolfsbane so no werewolves were in it, and dug a hole deep enough so we could lay Rachel to rest. Harriet and I were the only ones there to lower her body into the ground and cover her up. Day was breaking and the vampires had to sleep, Clawrk was too busy to attend. Myles wasn't anywhere to be found. Harriet was uncomfortable in the garden, but that was more important than her comfort. She didn't care if she was uncomfortable. She was barely able to see when we were done. Tears were flowing down her face at such a rate that I felt my heart break just at the site. I was taught to get angry at a close death. Not to cry. To exact revenge. I did that, and therefore my heart wasn't heavy. I was still incredibly sad that she was dead, but I knew Harriet felt like Rachel was her daughter. She had brought Rachel up since she was a day old.

After that was completed, I sat by the end of the dug up dirt and stared at the mound. Harriet had left, unable to handle it; I knew she went back to the servants' quarters. If I was her, I would want to throw myself into my work as fast as possible. I tugged off my quiver and pulled out an arrow. There was still blood on it. I moved to the front of the mound and dug the arrow into where the head stone would go. I touched the mound and closed my eyes. "I'm so sorry I couldn't protect you like I promised," I whispered, shaking my head, "You didn't deserve this death. You deserved to live until you grew old and had a beautiful family. It's my fault you are dead..." I trailed off, tears welling up in my eyes. I stood up and left the garden.

I may have been completely vampire, but that didn't mean I didn't have the same emotions as before. I raced along the corridors. Avoiding all the werewolves fighting and burst into the council room. I heaved the heavy doors shut before ducking behind the tapestry and sat there for a moment. I leaned against the wall and choked back a sob. Staying there would just get me caught and an entrance to the underground passage ways be found. Lifting up the hatch, I slipped down into the passageway. Tears blurred my vision and I ran down the passageways. Not caring if I got lost. I just wanted to be alone. To let myself grieve in my own way. This was the first time I had ever grieved. I had never had someone close to me die.

After what felt like forever, my legs finally screamed for me to stop and I barely made it to a wall before I fell to my knees and let out a strangled cry. This wasn't fair! She shouldn't be dead! I leaned my head against the wall and continued to cry. Not caring if anyone heard me. If anyone dared stepped near me, I wouldn't hesitate to take them out. I wasn't in the mood. Anger, sadness, regret, heartbreak rolled around my stomach and chest. I couldn't breath after a few minutes; my lungs were working hard from crying. Tears streamed down my face and I wrapped my arms around my stomach. Trying to breath.

A hand touched my back and I lashed out. Not caring who it was. My hands connected with someone's face and hands gripped my wrists and I was pulled against their chest. Arms wrapped around me and stroked my back. I punched and scratched at the person. I didn't want their comforting! I wanted to be alone! Comforting words whispered into my ear and I eventually collapsed. My body too tired to fight. My hands clutched their shirt and I continued to cry. After an unknown time, I pulled away; my tears slowed enough for me to see who was comforting me. Red hair and concerned eyes.

"Why are you crying, love?" Myles asked me, reaching forwards and wiping my tears from my face. I shoved his hand away and stared at him.

"Where have you been?" I cried punching his chest, "You abandoned us, and now you show up? Get out of here!" I shouted at him moving to stand. He grabbed my arms and pulled me back to his chest.

"I didn't abandon you, I was searching for Rachel," he whispered keeping my arms still. I wanted to hit him so badly. "Tell me what has happened, calmly now." Tears bubbled in my eyes and I started crying again. He wiped my cheeks from the tears.

"Rachel..." I sobbed, "She's dead."

Myles tensed and he hugged me tightly. "What happened?"

"She snuck out," I sobbed harder, not able to continue and I heard a growl in his chest. I shook my head and grasped his shirt tightly. He gently pulled away from me before standing up. I shot up. "What are you doing?" I choked out as he started to walk away.

"Who killed her?" he demanded turned around to look at me. I swallowed and shook my head.

"He's already dead," I responded wrapping my arms around myself, "She's buried, too."

Myles ran both his hands through his hair before pacing. "I shouldn't have gone. I should've been here!" he punched the wall, and then cursed and shook his hand. I wrapped my arms around myself and pursed my lips. Tears bubbled in my eyes and I walked over to him and touched his shoulder. He turned around and pulled me into a hug. Apologizing while he did.

Before I could even process what was happening. He was kissing me, and I was, regretfully, kissing him back. My hands wrapped in his red hair and he pulled me closer. The kiss wasn't like any I had with Valentine. This was too angry, had too much raw emotion. It tasted salty from our tears. He was too warm. I couldn't stop myself, however. I needed an outlet of my emotions and this was it. I felt his heartbeat through my fingers, I could hear it. It was beating hard and fast. I couldn't place what emotion he was feeling, it was a mixture, I could tell. Excitement, grief, fear. I didn't like this kiss at all.

However, I continued to kiss him, for some odd reason. Like...if I stopped kissing him I would fall into pieces. A face flashed behind my eyes and I pulled away from Myles. The face was unfamiliar, but I felt as if I was hurting that person by doing this. I let out a sob and shook my head. "What are we doing? There is a war raging above our heads!" I backed away from him. "This isn't the time or place."

Myles straightened before walking over to me and rubbing my shoulders. He didn't say anything, and I took a shuddering breath in before looking up at him. I shook my head. "Clawrk is looking for you," I whispered and pulled away from him. "You better go see him before he rips your head off. He's in the throne room."

"The throne room?" Myles asked pausing as we started walking away. I had no idea where I would get out from where I was, but following Myles would lead me out to somewhere probably familiar. "I thought we weren't allowed there? Is he in trouble?"

"No, an alliance has been formed. You werewolves are no longer our servants, but our war allies," I replied as he stopped by a ladder and looked down at me. "You guys go free once the enemy is forced out of the walls and preventive measures are put back up."

"Are you Queen?" he asked, sound incredibly confused. I shook my head sharply. "Dracula is tricking us then."

"My father wouldn't go against his word, especially if this alliance will go on for the rest of Clawrk's life and continue through his family line," I responded as he grabbed the handle of the ladder and pursed his lips. "My father is getting more out of this than Clawrk knows, he'll probably get Clawrk to sign a contract, and your guys' safety and my father will be able to call upon Clawd and the entire pack at any moment."

"Clawrk is stupid to agree to that," Myles shook his head, "No offense, love, but your father is a slippery devil. He'll find a way to exploit us all."

"Then leave the pack," I said half-heartedly, shrugging, "My father will exploit you, and Clawrk will exploit my father. If at any time Clawrk feels the pack is threatened, he could turn against my father and demand something be done. He could twist my father's arm, but he won't."

I grabbed the ladder rungs and started to climb up. Thankful that I was wearing trousers instead of a skirt. Myles followed me and we stood in the small hiding area staring at each other. "Good luck," I whispered quirking a sad smile, "If Clawrk doesn't kill you, my father will."

"What do you mean?" he asked looking startled.

"You left your post as second in command, Clawrk won't be impressed. My father will probably smell my perfume on you, and kill you," I replied shrugging my shoulders. Myles cursed and shook his head.

"I'll be sure to change before I go, then," he said before tilting my head up towards his. Before he could close the space between us, I slipped away and headed towards the garden. In my moment of pure heartbreak, I had forgotten my quiver. I thought of Valentine. He would be incredibly heartbroken if he figured out; I had consorted with another man. I shook my head clear of regret and guilt. I needed to help with this war as best I could. Romance was on the back burner for a long time.


	24. Ar Son Na Marbh

After a month of planning everything down to the last, detail. Making back up plans. Making sure there was enough wolfsbane to cover the entire outside edge of the castle, as well as creating enough arrows to supply them for a long while. Making sure that at least two vampires were knowledgeable about how to create arrows. Everything was about to go down. Disbelief set in me as I realized that it was six months since the start of the war. I stood beside my father and Clawrk, as we looked out at the werewolves fighting below. We were silent before my father looked at me. I looked up at him, still bitter at him for what he did. We were treating each other like enemies forced to co-operate with each other.

"The werewolves are all informed," Clawrk said looking down at the gore going on below. I drummed my fingers on my bow and looked up at my father.

"The wolfsbane is already keeping out werewolves at the back of the castle," I reported biting my lip, "The smell has driven both our werewolves and the enemy werewolves away from the back area."

"Good," my father muttered looking away from me and nodded. "Your friends are about to get really uncomfortable."

"They aren't exactly relaxed," Clawrk muttered glancing at my father with a raised eyebrow. My father waved his comment off and took a deep breath before coughing.

"Why does it smell like garlic?" he asked looking at Clawrk, with an angered look on his face. My father quickly covered his mouth and Clawrk held up his hands.

"I didn't do it; it might've been the enemy. The tower is a great advantage point," Clawrk defended, even though he knew fully that I was the one who did it. I mouthed thank you before my father turned on his heel and walked to the door. "The plan will start now?" Clawrk asked as we followed the King of Vampires down from the tower. My father nodded as he reached the end. He turned to look at me.

"Draculaura," he started but I didn't show any signs of wanting to listen. He pulled me into a hug and kissed my head. "You are my only blood, I do care for you," he whispered before pulling away. Then, without any warning, he turned into a bat and fluttered off. I stared after him before turning towards Clawrk and patting his arm. He stared at me before looking at Dracula and shook his head. We had more important things to do than think about my relationship with my father.

For instance, we had to get all the werewolves allied with us out of the courtyard before plan happened. That meant vampires will replace them, including my father and I. Once that happened. The bravest werewolves and the few vampires left over would go to the roofs. Where the plan would officially happen. Clawrk and I raced towards the courtyard, where vampires were waiting for my word. My father would be going around alerting the werewolves to what was about to happen, so they could get out of there. Clawrk and I stood watching the fight continue. The majority of werewolves had been pushed to the courtyard. We could deal with a few stragglers in the hallways later.

I turned towards the vampires and cleared my voice. I was intimidated talking to a bunch of men who looked like they were in their mid-thirties. I did only look thirteen after all. The group of vampires looked down at me, at full attention. "Remember the plan, and do not cause my father to doubt you at all. Fight strong, and remember after this, you won't have to listen to his commands anymore," I said pointing at Clawrk. He gave me a look, I just shrugged. The men already looked more willing to actually do this. They didn't exactly like going and fighting the werewolves without other werewolves to command.

Clawrk pulled me aside quickly and pulled a sword from his sheath and handed it to me. "Myles made it for you after I requested it," he muttered looking at me, "As a gift for your friendship and dedication to us."

"Most guys get girls jewelry, and I get a sword," I said lifting the sword from his hand and testing it. It wasn't heavy, just the right size for my body. I smiled at him. "I wouldn't want it any other way." I replied hugging him tightly and pulling away, fully inspecting the sword. It was silver, I could tell that much. There was an inscription on the blade, darkened by some sort of ink. The hilt was twisted metal, something very impractical for the type of sword, but it was nice either way.

"What does the inscription say?" Clawrk asked as I traded him swords. I raised my eyebrow, didn't he know? "I told him to write something, but I didn't know what he put."

"It's in Irish," I replied looking at the inscription, I laughed and shook my head; "Myles' writing is very messy."

"What did he say?" he asked as I slid it into my sheathe.

"I'll tell you in two hundred years," I grinned looking at him, "We won't be out of each other's hair forever."

"Why can't you tell me now?" he asked as we walked back over to the others. I smiled and shook my head.

"Fine," I laughed, "It says 'Ar son na marbh'," I smiled up at him, "A rough translation into English is 'On behalf of the dead' in Romanian that would be 'În numele morţilor'."

"You know too many languages," Clawrk muttered shaking his head and patted my shoulder; we stayed silent as we waited for my father. He spoke up a few minutes later. "I guess that's in memory of Rachel?"

"It could be anyone whose died," I replied looking up at Clawrk, "Liam, Rachel, my grandfather, anyone. I know that Myles meant Rachel, but...if I focus on everyone who has died, I'll be able to justify the murders I am about to commit. Anyone of those werewolves could've killed Liam. Could've killed Vasile."

He looked out at the werewolves before sighing and looking down at our feet, shaking his head. A bat fluttered into the room and then transformed into my father. He looked at me and I glanced up at Clawrk. He cracked his neck and stretched his arm. He muttered something that sounded vaguely familiar to, I'm going to die, and then stepped out into the courtyard. He threw his head back and let out a loud howl, causing the vampires to clamp their hands over their ears and looked irritated

I took out my new sword and stood beside my father. He drew his sword and taped it against mine before smiling down at me. Then he lifted his sword up slightly, causing the vampires to draw their swords, and raced out into the courtyard. I quickly followed after. Dodging the werewolves who were heading to safety. It felt unnaturally good to be fighting again. This sword was almost like an extension of my arm that had always been there. It was easier to wield and incredibly strong. Every time I saw the blur of the black ink my mind went to my dead friends and rage fueled my body.

For the first time ever. I fought alongside my father. Watching his back and he watching mine. Even though no words were spoken between us. I knew we were bonding in a sort of odd way. I slammed my foot into the chest of a werewolf and quickly called out to my father as a werewolf tried to pounce him. My father turned around, baring his teeth and dug it into the werewolf's neck. I didn't watch anymore, I knew where that was going. I saw a familiar werewolf and hissed. He was the one who wanted to execute my father. I forgot that I was supposed to be distracting the werewolves and headed over to that werewolf. Defending myself along the way.

I reached him and he finished stabbing a vampire before he turned to me. He spat and growled. Switching which hand his sword was in. I glared at him and swung; he quickly dodged and swung at me horizontally. Easy block, kick to the knee. Dodged, clipped in the cheek by swing. Pain. Ignore and stab. Knocked off balance. Tuck into a roll to the side. Get up quickly and block from slash. Quick stab and dodged. This man needed to die by my own hand.

A werewolf tried to intercept, tried to grab me, but the werewolf disposed of him quickly. I knew they were just hired mercenaries. I dodged an attack. I swung my sword straight down and he brought his sword up to meet mine. Our hilts locked together and he leaned forwards. Strain on my arms was making it hard for me to concentrate on his words, but I heard them nonetheless. "Too weak to protect even children." My eyes flashed to the inscription and I remembered all the good times Rachel and I had. The short, but kind memories of Liam. Rage boiled through me, and I brought my knee up to his stomach. Used my free hand to slam my fist into his elbow.

I knew this caused his arm to go numb, the pressure on my blade lessened and I quickly moved out of the way. I slammed my foot into his stomach and he fell backwards. Dirty fighting I knew. My father's least favorite brother taught his eldest son how to fight dirty. Who taught me how to when he came to visit a hundred years ago. I brought the sword down and felt the satisfying resistance of the blade and then placed my foot on the werewolf's stomach and retracted the sword. Various werewolves around glared at me but because they were distracted they didn't notice the vampires who quickly took them out.

There was a howl and I grinned. The moment of truth. Hundreds of werewolves and vampires leaned over the edge of the roof. Bows and arrows aimed down at the group of werewolves. Clawrk stood on a raised portion of the roof and howled loudly again. "Halt your attack!" Clawrk growled to the werewolves below. "Or we will end your lives!"

"With what?" one of the werewolves taunted lifting a silver dagger covered in blood. Clawrk glared at him. I didn't know if he knew whose blood was on the dagger, or if he was just irritated of the werewolf's cocky attitude. Clawrk just twitched his finger and a werewolf released the bowstring and the arrow flew and hit the werewolf in the arm. The werewolf laughed and tore the arrow from his arm and tossed it to the side. It touched the arm of another werewolf and cut him slightly. They both laughed. "It's not even silver!"

My father smirked and the vampires turned into bats and flew to the edge of the courtyard. Successfully blocking the werewolves from leaving the courtyard. My father walked over to a wall and walked up it, causing the werewolves to frown as he casually stepped onto the roof. Walking vertically on a surface wasn't exactly a common thing to do. I slipped backwards past the vampire line of defense. The two werewolves who had been touched by the arrow suddenly having the reactions. The one who had been shot fell to his knees, shaking his head and grabbing it. He vomited on the floor, closely followed by the other one. They fell to the ground dead a few seconds later. I headed up the stairs and climbed onto the roof.

"If you don't leave now, then prepare to die," he said, pulling out a wolfsbane flower.


	25. Separation

The werewolves gave in. There was no way they could win. They knew it. If they had tried to do anything else, they would've been taken out. They may have had hope if it was just werewolves shooting, but vampires were incredibly quick. Therefore, they could fire off twenty arrows in the same time it took a werewolf to fire off five. They put their hands up in defeat and dropped their weapons. I thought differently of them, I thought they would be more...resilient. I suppose they thought that we wouldn't be prepared if they attacked again. However, even after the werewolves left. That still left us with a lot of wolfsbane, and we could easily keep them out.

After being escorted out, the vampires closed the gate and stood on look out throughout the edge of the castle. Waiting for the werewolves to try to attack once more. The archers cheered and the werewolves immediately tossed their arrows away from them. I cheered along with them and threw a grin towards Clawrk. He nodded in pride before ducking back inside. I walked over to my father as he told the vampires to prepare a feast. Even something as simple as this should be celebrated. We may not have won the entire war, but we have so far won the war on our castle.

My father pulled me into a hug and kissed my head. "I'm proud of you," he whispered when he pulled away. "You are like the son I've always wanted."

I frowned at him, "Only you could make a statement of happiness turn into an insult."

"You didn't let me finish," he shook his head and smiled. "You are like the son I've always wanted, but in the body of the little girl I've always loved."

I smiled up at him, I knew it was the best he could come up with. "What is the feast for?" I asked, "I mean, you wouldn't be telling them to prepare a feast, you'd tell them to throw a party."

"It's for you and the werewolves," my father said as we walked down the wall and into the courtyard. "You eat food, so I decided to let you have a feast with the beasts. Since for some reason you have a need to protect them."

I froze and looked at him. "What do you mean?"

"With that female, you asked practically asked me not to murder her. You've made up reasons why they are useful to us," my father shrugged his shoulders slightly, "I have no idea why you want to protect them, but that's just in your nature. You are like your uncle that way." I hugged him tightly before pulling away. He nodded at me before walking inside.

I looked at the courtyard. It would take months to clean up the blood and dead bodies. However, I knew that wasn't our biggest problem. We still had to worry about the constant threat against our castle we were facing. However, tonight was a night of celebration! We couldn't allow ourselves to think of the future, we had to think of the now. My friends were no longer prisoners, they were free. I knew my father still didn't respect them like they were his equals, but it was a step closer to equality than anyone would like to admit. I knew tomorrow morning, after the feast was over. I wouldn't see them for a very long time, if I ever saw them again.

Instead of standing in the courtyard, thinking about the bad things that were happening, I headed inside. Trousers may have been nice to fight in, but I still preferred dresses. They were beautiful and very elegant. They also provided tons more heat than a simple pair of trousers did. When I got to my room, I noticed that people had fought in there. That I found odd. My room had been shut, and most of the werewolves had stayed out of rooms that had their doors shut. After a quick sweep of my room, I determined that everyone in there was actually dead before I did the painstaking task of putting on my own dress. Normally I had people to help me, but since the wives were sleeping, and my friends were no longer slaves, I had to do it. I didn't mind, it was challenging, and frustrating, but it was a skill I needed to learn how to do. I was accustomed to putting on simple clothes, from when I lived with my mother years and years ago. However, this kind of dress was not in my repertoire.

It took me almost two entire hours before I declared myself suitable enough to leave the room. I had left my hair down, not caring enough to pull it back up into a fancy design. Besides, I was wearing a casual dress instead of a fancy one, so I didn't care. I stored the present from Clawd somewhere safe in my room before I headed out. By now the feast would be ready and all the werewolves would be out of their armour.

As I walked, I heard noise coming from the courtyard and immediately headed for it. Fearing that there might be a sneak attack that we hadn't planned for. Instead, I opened the door to see a long table spread with a bunch of food and werewolves sitting around drinking mead and enjoying the food. I smiled at them and moved to close the door, my father may have prepared the feast for the werewolves and I, but it was their time to shine. Instead of pulling the door closed, Harriet saw me and got up and headed over. She hugged me tightly and kissed my cheek. I hugged her back and clamped my eyes shut. I hadn't realized how much I was scared that I might have lost them until now.

Clawrk stood up and headed over, he ruffled my hair and picked me up into a hug. "Congrats!" he cheered placing me down, "We did it, the werewolves are free! All thanks to you!"

"I can't take the credit," I said lifting my hands up, "You were the one who did the negotiating and convinced my father to let you guys leave." Clawrk laughed and shook his head.

"A humble princess, don't think I've ever seen that in the line of Dracula's. I doubt even my grandfather knew a humble Dracula," he replied as he led me over to the table. Harriet sat down to the right of the head of the table. Clawrk sat down at the head and Myles scooted over and patted the bench beside him. "Sit and eat with us, this is your feast as well. Young Princess!"

I smiled at them before curtseying and sitting down at the table. I took some vegetables, cheese, and bread. The entire courtyard was alive and full of chatter. Harriet and I spoke about life from now on. She said that since they were going to America, she had to learn English soon, since America was a British Colony. She knew a few words, from when the American vampires came over, speaking English of course. Clawrk declared that he was going to explore America with the pack, he wanted adventure in the great-uncharted areas of America. When I asked him about when he was going to settle down and try for a family, he said not for two hundred or so years. He wanted freedom. Harriet didn't look too pleased with him.

Myles asked me about my future plans. What I was going to do once they were gone. I replied simply. What I did best. Be the rebellious little princess, and eventually settle down with my own husband who would become the King of Vampires. Harriet laughed, saying she couldn't see me settling down with any man. Let alone a controlling vampire. Clawrk seconded that motion. I just giggled and shook my head. She went on to say that I was only thirteen that I should wait until I was at least sixteen before I even thought about settling down. Coming across very motherly.

As I finished my plate, I noticed the food on the table was becoming sparse. I wasn't surprised. Most of the werewolves had gone weeks on end without eating. When they did eat, they ate very little, mostly just meats as well. Now they had as much food as they could dream and they weren't pulling any stops. I was getting full, mostly because I never ate this much in my entire life. In addition, I was able to go my entire life without actually eating food.

Some of the drunker werewolves stared singing loudly at the end of the table. Clawrk chuckled and shook his head. I couldn't even understand their slurred words, but I heard Myles singing along under his breath. I smiled. This feast was excellent. We didn't have to worry about anything at that moment. Past or the future. Just have fun in the now. It had been a long time since I had fun with my friends. Normally it was just brief conversations, discussions or making faces at each other in the halls when seeing each other.

I remembered when I first met Harriet. She was young at that time. Probably around six years old. She was helping one of the elder werewolves clean the hallway where my bedroom was. I had left the room, and I could tell it was her first time seeing any vampire. Her head twitched slightly at the noise, and then she turned around and saw me. However, hearing my heartbeat, she thought I was a werewolf. When she waved, the elder woman gasped and started apologizing to me. As if I would kill Harriet.

I waved back at her before chatting with her a bit, and taking her into my room and feeding her some of my breakfast that I didn't eat. I wouldn't admit this to her, or anyone, but back then, I really was narrow-minded. I didn't appreciate the werewolf elder talking to me, but a little six-year-old girl didn't know better. I thought of her as a little pet. However, I grew out of the pet phase, when she started acting more mature. When her grandmother and mother died of a sickness that spread through the werewolf quarters. Then she introduced me to Clawrk, who didn't like me at all during our first meeting. He kicked me in the shin. A smile spread over my lips and glanced at him. Clawrk was singing along to the song quietly in between sips of ale.

Soon the food was replenished and then gone once more. I was stuffed and everyone looked like they could sleep for days. However, I knew they would be gone by noon. Soon people got up and headed to their sleeping quarters to gather their things. Leaving Harriet, Clawrk, Myles and I alone. Harriet stood up and walked around the table and hugged me tightly. I hugged her back, feeling tears well up in my eyes.

"After the war, we will see each other again, I promise you," Harriet kissed my forehead, "I'll introduce you to any children Clawrk and I have."

"Didn't we agree to six?" I asked with a smile, Clawrk choked on his ale and glared at me.

"I've been trying to get her off the thought of having children, we're too young," he said gruffly and drank some more. Myles chuckled under his breath as he raised his mug. "I hope we have a boy or two if we do."

"What if you have triplets?" Myles shot grinning at Clawrk, "I could imagine three of you tearing up your house, making noise and wooing the ladies when they are old enough. Hopefully they become thieves."

Harriet smacked him on the back of the head. "My children better not grow up to be thieves, or I'll blame you. Mister Stealth," she scolded, glaring at him. He laughed and shook his head. "They'll grow up to be respectable boys, and if we have any girls, then I pray they are like me, or Lala, even though there is a very unlikely chance that she'll see them grow up..." Harriet trailed off looking down at me, "Coming back from America will be expensive and hard."

"I'll go over there if I can figure out where you guys holed up," I replied patting her hand soothingly. "My father will probably pinpoint your location the moment you step out of your house, however."

They laughed, probably thinking it was a joke. Clawrk stood up and stretched before stepping away from the table and opening his arms up. "One last hug before we never see each other again." I stood up and hugged him tightly. He patted my head and rubbed my back.

"Two hundred years, give or take," I replied pulling away slightly and looking up at him. "I need a break from you and Myles."

"Ouch," they both said at the same time. Clawrk kissed my forehead before stepping away and rubbing his mouth.

"It's okay to cry," I teased poking his arm, he shot me a glare before smiling. "No really, you can cry. Like a baby. Do it."

"I'm not going to cry, I'd only cry if I knew you wouldn't hunt us down like a pack of dogs..." he trailed off staring at me before shaking his head, "Spending too much time with vampires is affecting me...god damn it. Anyways, I'd only cry if you weren't you. You'll eventually see us again."

"Then we'll become adventurerers, scowering the land for treasure! With the rebel princess and the devious thieves!" Myles declared, his tone heavily sarcastic. He grinned as Harriet rolled her eyes and Clawrk cracked a smile. He pulled me into a hug, I hugged him back gently. He lowered his head down to ear level before whispering, "Come with us."

I pushed him away, my eyebrow quirked. "No." I bluntly said. He looked hurt and I sighed. "That's highly illogical, first off. My castle is under siege, among everyone inside of it. I am a princess, and if I ran off now, my father would think you kidnapped me, and the war would just increase, with the werewolves looking like the enemy. I need to stay here because even if my father knew I ran off on my own will, you all would be ever in danger because vampires would see you with the princess of vampires and think you kidnapped me. In addition, I would be in danger because werewolves will see me and try to kidnap me. So, until this war is over. I'm staying here."

"You're idiotic to think she would come with us," Clawrk said with a shrug and sitting down at the table, staring up at his right hand man. "I mean, really, she may have been Harriet's friend for the last thirteen years, but she's a vampire. Her loyalty is to the vampires, not us."

"That's not true! I have loyalty to you as well," I replied, putting my hands on my hips and sticking my tongue out at him. "My heart may not be beating anymore but that doesn't mean I'm heartless!"

Harriet smacked Clawrk before sighing and hugging me again. I hugged her tightly back and kissed her cheek. I would miss her. Once she was gone, then I would have to get use to waking up without her to talk to. I'd have to start talking to the wives if I got lonely. Or else I would go back into a round of depression, stop eating and go into a blood frenzy again.

Slowly the other werewolves returned from gathering their possessions and waited for Clawrk to give the go ahead. They would be leaving out the back gate, as they had more of a chance to sneak out that way. Clawrk took a deep breath before looking at me. I nodded and waved, he smiled at me before walking out of the gate. Werewolves trailed after him, some holding kids and other holding supplies. Harriet waited until all the werewolves were heading towards the door before she and Myles brought up the rear. Making sure no werewolf was left behind. Harriet glanced at me and I saw tears in her eyes. I waved at her and she waved back before the gates were closed.

The war raged on around us, and all I could think about was that the separation between the werewolves and I had finally happened. However, it was on our own terms, not my fathers. I was glad. Sadness swept over me as I turned and headed inside. Mentally preparing myself for a hard life ahead.


	26. Epilogue

Five years. The war raged on between the werewolves and the vampires for five long years. The council members had no want to resolve the conflict. It was unsure who actually started the war, if the vampires ordered those vampires to attack, or they acted on their own. Our castle had quite a few breaches, but we were able to quickly fix the situation and go back to ordering the other vampires around Europe with planned attacks. The war quickly spread to the European colonies in Africa, and spread into Asia. The western colonies were left in the dark, but they quickly figured out about the war not halfway through. Spreading the war to their as well. The human population of the world was unaware of the constant fights between the werewolves and vampires throughout the time period.

I had not received any word from my friends through those five long years. My father constantly told me not to think about them, and I could tell he knew the four of us had been friends. My uncle in America was protecting himself quite well, living far off into the woods by himself. My other uncle had fled with his family to a remote village far north, which my father was furious about. So furious, my father swore that if that man ever-stepped foot into the Dracula castle, he would be killed. Even if his children and mates were there.

I still didn't hear from my friends a year after the war. Panic and fear built up in my body when my father told me that since the war had spread to the west, he couldn't spare any vampires to secretly follow them around. That meant, we lost knowledge if they were even alive anymore. After the war I asked my father if I could go and visit America, to see my uncle, but he declined. Saying that even though the war was resolved, there may be lingering enemies who would try to kill me.

A treaty was written in blood. It was encased in glass and placed above my father's throne in the council room, a constant reminder that under no circumstance, are we to initiate an attack on the werewolves. Or there won't be another second chance for us. Our two races had broken the biggest rule in the Monster Council book. A war. Fighting they had no problem with, but an entire war that raged on for years? That was something that was punishable by death. However, since they didn't know which side started it, because each side said the other did, they had to write up a treaty to place on top of the rules.

Valentine had raced straight over from America once werewolves and vampires were allowed to cross over the Atlantic and Pacific oceans. That took him just over half a year to return back. By the time he did, the castle was being rebuilt, and cleaned from top to bottom. My sword was hung up in the throne room below my fathers. A remnant of the war. Eventually, without proper care and use, it would tarnish and then start to become darkened by the silver oxidizing. Valentine had not left my side since he came back, except for when he slept. He got along swimmingly with Bram and Gory, and helped my father with all the plans of rebuilding the castle and strengthening our hold for any future wars.

When the wives arose from their slumber, they were furious to figure out that I had not slept through the war. Instead I had fought alongside my father, wearing trousers. That caused them to break into a fight with my father, exclaiming that I was a princess and therefore shouldn't be treated like a son. They were insulted that he trusted me to stay awake, when they had been with him for much longer. The fight increased to such a degree that the wives ended up wincing every time my father threw up his hands. They eventually broke down crying and clung to each other, shaking in fear. Gory had a similar reaction, and clung to Bram tightly, hiding her head in his chest.

My father, for the first time, did not apologize to the wives. Instead he stormed from the room. Swearing loudly in a lost language. We had stared at the door before the wives turned on me. Blaming me for the fight and threatening my life, saying that if it wasn't for me. None of this would've happened. Aleera had dared to slap me across the face before the three of them transformed into bats and fled the room.

I visited Rachel's grave often and then went down into the slave's quarters and sat in the room I spent many years laughing and talking in. Imagining my friends around me, laughing and acting as if nothing ever happened. God. I missed them more than I thought. Regret clung to me every day, and my vampire friends could tell. My grandmother tried to snap me back into place, but that just forced me into anger. That I didn't get out of for at least a month, I holed up in my room for the entire month. Refusing to feed and refusing to speak to anyone.

However, I eventually realized I was being childish. I moved on. I pushed the worry and regret back into the furthest corner of my mind and jumped head long into my responsibilities as a Princess. My family was surprised at my sudden change of attitude, but they didn't comment. My father eventually let me explore the woods, he and some other vampires went for a hunt in the woods. For sport of course. I had a falcon settled on my arm, just in case something bad happened, then the falcon would fly to my father and alert him.

I sat down and let the falcon hop onto the ground and stretch her wings. She made some noises and tilted her head slightly looking up at me. I let out a sigh and leaned against a tree, it was nice to get out of the castle, to once again ignore how I was supposed to be. I watched as she hopped around the small area before coming back over and jumping onto my lap and nestling into my dress, closing her eyes. Lightly, I stroked her fur and rested my eyes for a moment. When I opened them, the falcon was let out its cry and staring into the forest. Her wings extended slightly and her feathers bristled.

I let her hop onto my arm and I stood up, staring off into the direction. My eyes searched the forest, waiting for something to spring out. My eyes picked up movement before my ears did. People were running. I could tell. The falcon let out a loud cry and my ears picked up the noise. It wasn't vampires. I could hear the blood pounding in whoever those people were. I pressed my back against the tree and stayed still, the falcon stayed on my arm as the people streaked past. They were just running. I let out a sigh of relief before someone streaked out from behind a tree and skidded to a stop. The falcon unfurled its wings and moved to jump. I quickly dropped its cap on and held onto the tether to keep her on my arm. She squawked in panic and tried to take off once again.

"Calm down," I hissed quickly, "No one is attacking." I smoothed the falcon's feathers before finally looking up. My heart leapt to my throat and tears formed in my eyes.

Clawrk grinned down at me, looking exhausted and dirty. I realized why I hadn't instantly recognized him. I hadn't really seen him so dirty. Harriet quickly raced into the area and stopped beside her mate. A grin stretched out on her face as well. Tears started falling from my face and I moved to cover my face with my hand. Sobbing softly. I felt arms wrap around me and Harriet hushing me softly. I leaned into the arms and hugged them back with one arm. The other one still holding the falcon.

I sobbed for I don't know how long. Clinging to my best friends. Eventually my tears lessened and Harriet helped me sit down on the ground. Clawrk dropped down, leaning his back against a tree. They didn't look they aged a day. Mostly because they would be twenty for the next six or seven years. I could sense there were other werewolves around the area, their pack sticking with them. Harriet stroked my hair and hugged me tightly throughout the entire time I was crying.

"I thought..." I hiccupped and clung to her tightly, "You had died," a fresh round of sobs burst forwards and I buried my head into her neck.

"We hid out in the forest, that's why we are so dirty," Clawrk informed, leaning forwards and patting my knee, "If we died, the pack would've sent you a message."

"Where is Myles?" I asked after a minute of silence, Harriet smiled and brushed some hair from my face.

"He got sidetracked, he should be here soon," she replied softly, "We've been heading over here for nearly a month now. Our ship dropped us off in France," she answered, explaining why they hadn't gotten here around the same time as Valentine. I nodded slowly, and pressed my lips together tightly. No longer than a few minutes later did Myles walk past some trees and stared at me. I avoided staring at him and chose to smile instead. No tears flowed from my eyes, mostly because I hadn't known him for that long. He walked closer and sat down beside me. "How long are you allowed to be out here?" Harriet asked me before Myles could say anything. I looked over at her and quickly calculated in my head.

"A few more hours, my father is out hunting right now," I replied, nodding my head confirming the time. She smiled at her mate before standing up.

"Then, let's build a fire and catch up, shall we?" she asked, patting Clawrk on the arm and he stood up. "Clawrk and I shall go and tell the pack to collect some fire wood and find a place to build the fire."

They disappeared into the trees, leaving Myles and I alone. We stayed silent before Myles spoke up finally. "I've missed you," he muttered under his breath. I stared at the trees and sighed. I didn't want to lie to him, but I didn't want to be cruel either. So I stayed silent. Pretending I didn't hear him. "Look, if you are angry about me asking you to leave-"

"I'm not angry," I replied looking over at him and smiling slightly, "It was sweet of you to do so, but you need to think things through."

"What if I asked you to come with me now?" he asked, seeming to be hesitant to ask, "I mean you are no longer pressured by the responsibilities during war, we won't be attacked-"

"You still aren't thinking things through," I said softly touching his forearm and looking up at him. "I'm a princess, I still have duties."

"You don't have to be a princess," he suggested, sliding his eyes to look at me. I shook my head, frowning.

"I'm not going to give up my entire life for you," I replied, sounding very cold. I didn't want to hurt his feelings, but I knew he wouldn't give up unless I did. He frowned staring at me, he seemed confused. "Even if we were humans, I wouldn't run off with you, it has nothing to do with you being a werewolf. It has everything to do with our social status. I am a princess, for my family to continue being in power, I must marry someone of equal status. I'm already promised to someone."

"Why didn't you tell me?" he grumbled looking away from me, staring at the ground. I stopped looking at him and pet the falcon on my arm.

"I didn't think I would need to," I replied honestly, "Until you kissed me, I didn't realize you liked me in that way."

"You don't like me in that way," he scoffed and shook his head.

"No, I only love you as a big brother, and that's it," I answered as he stood up and shook his head. I stood up and stared at him.

"If that's the only love I can receive, I don't want it," he said roughly glaring at me, my eyebrows shot up and I stared at him. Confused.

"I will not force myself to love you," I shot back quickly, and he let out a false laugh.

"Yet, you are willing to force yourself to marry someone for power," he shook his head and turned around, "I had you wrong, Laura Dracula."

"I know who I'm going to marry, and have already fallen for him, which is why I don't love you," I replied sharply crossing my arms, "My love for him has nothing to do with power."

He stayed silent staring at my face, as if he was searching for any signs that I was bluffing. I wasn't. Valentine was romantic and special to me, he was everything I needed. Myles was more of something you would read in a steamy book about secret romances. He was someone that a fleeting romance could happen with, but I couldn't see myself with him in the long run. He reached forwards and touched my cheek. I stepped away and shook my head. "Laura-"

"That's not my name," I snapped staring at him, "I'm Draculaura."

"You are not your father," he replied, his voice tense as he stepped forwards and placed a hand on my shoulder, squeezing slightly. "You should not allow people to force your name alongside his."

"My father is a great man, he became humble to save all of us!" I snapped shoving him away, "He has been there for me, while you force yourself on me!"

"I am not forcing myself on you! I have never done anything like that! You kissed me back!" he pointed at me and then threw his hands in the air and growled. Clawrk stepped back into the area a few seconds after the growl and stared at us. His eyes narrowed at Myles and he stepped forwards.

"Myles, step down," he ordered, crossing his arms.

"Why should I?" Myles growled, straightening up, threatening Clawrk. I stepped to the side and Myles glared at me.

"You are being irrational-"

"How do you know? You are just taking her side!" Myles shot, stepping forwards and grabbed Clawrk's shirt. "I thought pack is strength, pack is life! If you would rather take the side of a bloody vampire than your own kind, you shouldn't be pack leader!"

"Myles!" Clawrk shot, grabbing Myles wrists and removing the grip from his shirt. "Do not disrespect Draculaura, she has given up so much for us! She deserves as much respect as any pack member! I deserve respect as well, as your pack master!" Other werewolves heard the commotion and wandered closer to the area, standing there and watching from the sidelines. Harriet stepped forwards and stood beside me. Clawrk shoved Myles roughly to the ground, the werewolves whispered amongst themselves in confusion. Myles growled and spat at Clawrk. "If you do submit, Myles, I will force you out of this pack."

"I would rather die than be under your order any longer," Myles growled in response, standing up and glaring at Clawrk. I saw Clawrk's eyes narrow and his back straightened. I knew what was going to happen and I clung to Harriet's arm in fright.

"So bet it," Clawrk growled stepping forwards, preparing for a fight. A werewolf stepped forwards and pulled Myles away from Clawrk's reach.

"I nominate Myles as new pack master," the werewolf called. A chorus of agreement spread out over a hand full of the werewolves. The other ones snapped and growled at the suggestion. Harriet growled as well, pulling me closer. I watched as the werewolves separated on either side. Most going to Clawrk's side, but quite a few went to Myles side. I watched as the pack split themselves up, family members were being separated. The elder, some middle aged, and the child werewolves went to Clawrk while the teenagers and other middle-aged werewolves went to Myles. Harriet pulled me towards Clawrk side and I hurriedly followed her. Myles stared at us with anger.

"This is our territory," Clawrk growled staring at Myles, as if he was a stranger, "Romania is ours, the New World is ours, go find your own land to claim. Mutt."

"Gladly," Myles replied before turning slightly. Before he took a step though, he looked over at me. It was silent, but then the growls started emitting from Clawrk's side. "Laura," he growled, "Everywhere you go, I now know chaos follows."

"Then hopefully we will never meet again, or the world will be thrown into destruction," I replied evenly, and his glare darkened before he turned and the new pack disappeared into the trees.

**The End.**

**Thanks to everyone who has and will review~!**


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